I Just Adopted This Kid
by Nemesis dan Impyrean
Summary: While returning home from grocery shopping, Yami happens across a child who uncannily resembles the teenager. Against his better judgment, Yami decided to take the child home with him. Yugi is allergic to sunlight, true... and Yami's hiding his own secrets. Still, it should work out. Right? Never mind neither of them know what they're doing, or what they're getting into.
1. Chapter 1

Walking down the quiet street, Yami checked his phone. Having just graduated high school, Yami was rather tall, but also nimble, as he balanced groceries bags in his arms while checking his phone. As usual, Jounouchi and Anzu were arguing back and forth. He couldn't even tell what they were arguing about anymore. Sighing, Yami looked up to make sure he wasn't running into anything.

Something shifted in the alley to his right. Yami glanced over, seeing a huddled boy. He couldn't tell due to how dark it was, but he figured the kid was pretty young.

Yami said without thinking, "Hey, are you okay?"

He waited.

And waited.

Until at least fifteen minutes had passed. He really should just walk away… but the boy he'd spoken to looked so young. Too young to be alone in an alley at night. Then again, the boy could be bait for gangs to pounce on stupid people like himself…

Shaking the thought away, Yami prompted, "Seriously, are you okay?"

Now the boy glanced up, then looked around. Yami wondered if the boy thought he was talking to someone else.

This was confirmed when the boy asked curiously, "Are you… um, talking to me?"

Yami withheld a sigh. Definitely a mistake. What did he expect he could do for this kid? Take him in if he was homeless?

"I am," Yami responded.

Surprise flashed over the boy's face, followed by something that vanished too quickly for Yami to identify.

"I'm fine," the boy responded, now smiling softly.

Yami knew this was the time to go. Just a quick 'oh that's fine then' and then he could leave this all behind. But… this boy really was young. And cute, now that he'd gotten a better look.

"Are you sure?" Yami blurted out without thinking. The boy tilted his head curiously.

"Yes…" he said slowly, "unless you're willing to feed me, in which case, I'm starving."

Yami laughed nervously. What he was about to say was crazy. But he was fairly certain that if no one bothersome found out, it'd work just fine. "I can do one better. Would you like to live with me?"

The boy's expression was blank. Yami was starting to think the kid thought he was stupid when the boy said, "You're… not playing with me, are you?"

He blinked, seeing hope in the boy's eyes. "No," he said firmly.

Standing the boy stumbled over to him, reminding Yami of a puppy. "Please," the boy said desperately, reaching out to grab Yami's arm. "Please."

Yami laughed softly, letting the boy cling to him as they walked home. "So what's your name?" he asked. "I'm Yami."

The boy hesitated. Yami could tell he still didn't fully trust him - the kid's eyes were darting around, his attention split between Yami and their surroundings. After a moment the boy replied, "Call me Yugi…" Yami smiled. The boy had a nice name.

Suddenly he stopped. "We're home," he announced.

Yugi looked up after a quick glance around them. They stood in front of a row of houses. "...which one?" Yugi asked finally.

Yami pointed to a small house. It was pretty nondescript, but it was presentable. He checked Yugi's reaction, but the boy was busy looking around them again. Suppressing a chuckle, Yami unlocked the house.

He held the handle for a moment, keeping the door closed. "Are you allergic to anything?" he asked Yugi. Completely straight-faced, Yugi replied, "I'm allergic to sunlight… and sunscreen." Yami stared at the boy. Yugi stared back, before adding quietly, "I'm not joking. I swear it, Yami."

Yami hesitated briefly before saying, "Well… I'll believe you for now. No other allergies?"

Yugi shook his head.

Nodding, Yami opened the door, letting Yugi in before locking it again.

"Do you live alone?" Yugi asked, glancing at the locked door.

"I do," Yami answered, taking in the groceries to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he began his daily game of Tetris with the cold foods.

Yugi sat beside him, watching him silently. "Yami," he said, after a while.

Yami glanced at him, pausing. "Yeah?" he prompted.

The boy looked down at the floor. "How long will you let me stay?"

Resuming his game of Tetris, Yami thought about it. When he finished, he stood, folding up the paper bag. "As long as I can," he replied, helping Yugi up. "Hopefully, until you're fed up with me and leave." He turned away from Yugi.

Holding up a packet of frozen bacon Yami asked, "Do you like this?" When no response came, Yami looked back. Yugi was staring at the bacon with a look akin to longing and awe. Smiling, Yami dumped the contents onto the pan, separating them carefully. Heating up the stove, he let the pan sit while he pulled out some eggs. "Scrambled or easy-over?"

Yugi's look of awe had transformed into something like worship. "Um… can we have… rice too?" the boy asked, his stare now turning to the rice-cooker tucked into the corner.

Yami grinned wider. "Yeah," he said.

"Can I have my egg easy-over?" Yugi asked.

Deftly cracking the eggs in a cup, Yami flipped the bacon before prepping another pan.

"Sure," he told the kid.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi definitely reminded Yami of a puppy as he stared at the bacon, egg, and rice dinner he'd prepared for the boy. When Yami completed his own plate, he handed Yugi a fork. "Dig in," he told the boy, doing the same himself. He looked up after a while. Yugi was now watching Yami. "Is something wrong?" Yami asked.

Yugi shook his head. "Thank you," he whispered.

When Yami finished, he glanced over at Yugi's plate. The boy was still halfway through, taking his time. Satisfied Yugi would be fine, Yami stood, dumping his dishes in the sink before heading for his study.

"Where are you going?"

Over his shoulder, Yami said, "To my study. I'll leave the door open - we can see each other, let me know if you need anything."

True to his word, Yami left the door open as he sat, flicking on his lamp. Opening his laptop, Yami started scrolling through his documents. He selected one, opening it up and reading it.

Partway through Yugi called out from the kitchen, "Yami?... Do I wash our dishes?"

Yami looked up, waving. "Nah," he replied, "just leave them. I'll make sure to wash them all later."

He heard silence for a long minute before the clatter of the dishes being placed into the sink. Then Yugi poked his head into the study. "You have a lot of books," the boy noticed, seeing the shelves lining the walls.

Leaning back, Yami smiled. "Do you like reading?" he asked.

Yugi looked around. "Kind of," the boy said. "What are you doing?"

Yami gestured. "Come here," he said. When Yugi came over, Yami pointed to the screen. "I'm an editor," he said.

Yugi stared at the story on the screen, "Really?" the boy asked. He sounded disbelieving.

Laughing, Yami nodded. "I am. Most writers write without bothering with the really small details, such as spelling or sometimes grammar. I'm cheap, so I get business."

Yugi frowned, glancing at Yami. "But… spelling is… so simple."

Yami laughed again. "I know! But don't tell them, or I'll lose my job. Well, one of them, anyway. I have a few others, but none as fun as this one."

Yugi smiled slightly.

Happy to see this, Yami was silent for a moment before adding, "My schedule's clear tomorrow. Do you want to shop with me?"

The boy glanced at him, his smile fading. "I… uh…"

Yami frowned before realizing. "Oh. Hm. How about tomorrow night, then?"

Yugi smiled, but this time the action was sad. "Thank you," the boy said, "for believing me."

Yami grinned. "No problem," he replied, standing. Leaving his laptop he went out into the hall, opening another door. He looked back.

"Do you want to sleep with me, or do you want your own bed?" Yami asked.

Yugi looked nervous. Finally the boy offered, "Um… I can sleep on the couch or something." Yugi's eyes went to the living room.

Yami suppressed a sigh, saying firmly, "No, it's fine. I only do that when I have guests over. They always complain it's narrow, I don't want to do that to you."

Yugi hesitated before asking, "Can I sleep with you, then?" Yami nodded. "Of course. Now let's see… food is covered, somewhere to sleep, we'll go shopping tomorrow…" he muttered to himself. He glanced around the house, then gave up. "If you need something, let me know. I've never had little siblings or anything so I might forget a few things." Yugi chuckled softly.

Then Yami clapped his hands, accidentally startling Yugi. "I forgot!" he said. "I have to meet up with my friends in an hour!"

Yugi checked the clock before asking, "Um… what were you guys going to do, that takes place around midnight?"

Ruffling the boy's hair Yami laughed. "It's a birthday party. Anzu was born at 1 am tomorrow, so we're celebrating then."

He hurriedly started washing the dishes. "Do you want to come?" Yami asked Yugi, who had followed. "My friends are good people, promise."

Yugi smiled. "Sure," he agreed softly.

Yami was pleased to see Yugi wasn't being as nervous as before. He hoped Yugi could trust him… and that he could trust Yugi, Yami reminded himself. The world wasn't a friendly place.

"Who are they?"

Yami glanced back at Yugi, drying the last plate. "They're Anzu and Jounouchi," he said happily. "They can be loud and obnoxious… but they're friendly, don't worry. It's lucky Anzu was born at 1 - I get to introduce you to them!"

Yugi laughed along with the teenager.

Yami grabbed a bag tucked into the corner before motioning to Yugi. "C'mon, let's go!


	3. Chapter 3

"You're lost."

Yami sighed. "I'm not lost," he insisted.

Yugi looked around them and repeated, "You're lost."

Yami looked around as well, feeling slightly ashamed. The kid was right, of course. He was lost - but that didn't mean they didn't know where they were going… the argument sounded weak even to him. "Okay, I'm lost," he admitted, "but only because the map app is always off by three meters. It's not my fault."

Yugi stared at Yami. "It's nearly 1," he pointed out. He seemed to hesitate before adding, "Maybe I should lead."

Yami felt like an idiot. He blamed Anzu. She'd moved for the fifth time in a row, claiming she needed inspiration for her dancing. In reality, she got kicked out for playing the music too loudly, too often. Yami shook his head. "I recognize that park," he said, pointing. "Come on, I think we can make it."

Thankfully, they did make it. Yami knocked on the door. They waited for a short while until Anzu flung open the door. Bright-eyed with short brown hair that bobbed when she moved, Anzu now stood in the doorway. Yami noted with satisfaction that behind her, the party wasn't completely set up yet. The food was still cooking, and the cake was half-frosted.

It didn't look like Jounouchi was here yet, either. Smiling in relief, Yami greeted Anzu, "Hey!" She smiled back. "Hi, Yami! Jounouchi isn't here yet, so would you mind helping me with the…" Her voice trailed off. Yami followed her gaze to Yugi, who was hiding behind the teenager. "Uh… Who is this?" Anzu asked suspiciously. Yami stared at her, disbelieving.

"No, this is not my son," he said, choosing to answer the unasked question first. She laughed, but Yami didn't miss how her shoulders relaxed. "This is Yugi," Yami continued. He pulled Yugi out slightly so Anzu could get a better look. The girl studied the kid, then laughed. "Are you sure he's not your son?" she teased, letting them in. "He looks a lot like you!"

Yami rolled his eyes. "Sure I'm sure," he said tiredly. "Don't give him a hard time, would you?" She laughed again, shoving a half-mixed bowl of icing into his hands. "I won't," she promised. "Now help me before Jounouchi gets here, okay?" Obligingly, Yami began mixing the icing while Anzu assigned Yugi to making sure the chicken didn't burn in the oven.

She then hurriedly starting icing the cake. Yami finished before she was done, setting the bowl beside her before joining Yugi. "She's full of energy," Yugi commented quietly.

Yami chuckled. "She is," he agreed. They sat in silence for a while until Yami said, "I think it might be done…"

Yugi went to turn off the oven while Yami pulled it out, placing it on the stove to cool.

Just then the door opened. "Knock!" Anzu cried, turning indignantly to Jounouchi.

He laughed.

"He's blonde," Yugi said in surprise.

"And taller than me," Yami added softly.

Jounouchi didn't notice their discussion, laughing at Anzu. "I know I'm late," he said affectionately, "because I always am… so why ain't you done yet?" Anzu pouted. It was then Jounouchi turned to Yami.

"Yami!" he exclaimed, but got no further. He stared at Yugi.

Before he could ask, Yami intervened, "No, he's not my son."

"He sure looks like you, though," Jounouchi said doubtfully. Yami let out a long-suffering sigh. "You know me better than that," he said.

Jounouchi suddenly laughed. "I bet he was on the street and you just took him in," Jounouchi said mirthfully. "Ah, whatever. So what's your name?"

Yugi glanced at Yami before replying softly, "I'm Yugi."

Jounouchi ruffled the kid's hair before spotting the cake. "Cake!" Forgetting about everything else, he headed straight for it, only to be waylaid by Anzu.

As they started to argue, Yami nudged Yugi. "So what do you think?"

Yugi stared at the pair for a long moment before finally saying, "He's full of energy."

Snickering, Yami dragged Yugi behind him as he went to break up the fight. "Hey guys," he said, holding up his hands, "what would you say to eating instead of arguing? The chicken should be ready."

Anzu and Jounouchi glanced at him before grumbling, heading towards the table.

Beside him, Yugi was silent. "Not too bad, right?" Yami checked with the kid.

Yugi shook his head. "Your friends are fun," he said happily.

Nodding in satisfaction, Yami picked up the chicken before heading to the table with Yugi, where Jounouchi and Anzu had started arguing again. Were they… betting on whether or not Yugi was his kid?

"Guys!" Yami protested, dropping the chicken unceremoniously on the table. His friends just laughed at him.


	4. Chapter 4

Yugi opened his eyes before yawning. Then he nearly choked as someone hugged him from behind.

"Hey!" Yami greeted in a whisper, letting go. He chuckled softly at Yugi's startled expression. "Sorry," he apologized, moving off the bed. Yugi looked around, vaguely recalling the night they'd had. The party had gotten really crazy - he must have fallen asleep sometime in the middle.

"What happened?" Yugi asked quietly, sitting up.

Yami chuckled. "Anzu gave us this room for the night," he explained, plopping down into a chair. He gestured vaguely. "Jounouchi has… well… he claims he has a job, but never told us what it is. As long as he's safe, whatever, I guess." Yami grinned. "Anzu has dance lessons, so we get to crash at her place."

Yugi blinked before asking hesitantly, "What time is it?" There was a window, but it was covered in heavy curtains. Yami shrugged. "Eh… maybe noon, give or take an hour. I figure you and I could relax today, maybe nap a bit more before we go shopping tonight. You'll need clothes and stuff, remember?"

Yugi nodded. The boy glanced at the curtains briefly.

Noticing, Yami asked, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask, but… what kind of allergy do you have to sunlight?"

Yugi seemed hesitant. Slowly the kid said, "I'm still surprised you believe me."

Yami smiled. "I keep wondering if you're pulling one over me," Yami admitted sheepishly, "but I won't take any chances."

Yugi smiled gratefully.

The teenager added, "Seriously, though, what kind of symptoms do you have?"

The boy hesitated. "I call it an allergy," he started, "but it's not like the ones I've heard of before. It just… burns, whenever I'm exposed to sunlight." Yugi paused, checking Yami's expression.

The teenager smiled encouragingly.

After a moment, Yugi continued, "I don't think it's normal. It isn't… right? Whenever I was in the shadows of an alley, I'd see people walking in sunlight like it was fine." The boy trembled slightly. "Am I… unnatural?"

Yami frowned. "No," he said firmly. He reached out, patting the boy's shoulder. "It's fine - there are other people who are allergic to sunlight. It's just pretty rare, is all." He tactfully decided not to mention that Yugi's 'allergy' was pretty rare in itself.

Instead he asked, "Does it burn, like it hurts? Or does it actually burn you?"

Yugi took a bit before saying, "Just hurts… after a while has passed, it starts to turn black." The boy looked up at Yami again. The teenager sighed. "That sucks," he said. Yugi laughed. Yami looked down in confusion.

"What?" Yugi managed to stop laughing, saying breathlessly, "You're so… odd! How can you believe me?" Yugi started laughing again, not noticing the shadow that crossed Yami's face. When the boy regained control, Yami was smiling mirthfully as well.

"Now that you're done laughing at me," he mock-scolded, ruffling the boy's hair, "how about some breakfast?... or is it lunch?"

Yugi glanced at the windows once more before saying, "I think it should be lunch."

Yami laughed, opening the door. The boy noticed all the windows were covered in heavy curtains, casting the rooms into shadow. Flicking on the light, Yami headed into the kitchen. "How's hamburgers sound?" he asked. Yugi followed him, peeking into the fridge.

"Do you have relish?" he asked curiously.

Yami dug around a bit. "Yep!" he said, having located the bottle.

Perking up, Yugi said eagerly, "Can I have that on my hamburger, please?"

Yami laughed before nodding, grabbing the buns before shutting the door. He laid them out on the counter, then opened the freezer, pulling out a bag of frozen hamburgers.

He poured some oil on the pan before tossing a few hamburgers on top, letting the stove heat.

"Why do you always pour that stuff on first?" Yugi asked curiously.

Yami glanced at him. "When I cook stuff, it usually gets stuck to the pan," he explained. "The oil keeps that from happening."

Yugi thought back before asking, "Why didn't you do that with the bacon?"

Yami laughed. "The bacon's oily enough on it's own," he replied. He used a spatula to poke the hamburgers. He could practically see Yugi's mouth watering. To distract the boy, Yami kept talking. "Do you know how to bake, or cook?"

Yugi shook his head. "I've been alone for a while," the boy said absently.

Yami thought. "Do you want to help me bake sometime? Or cook?"

Yugi looked up, excited. "Really? Like, make cakes and steaks and stuff?"

Yami suppressed a chuckle, finding the unintentional rhyme adorable. "Mm," he replied, flipping the hamburgers.

The boy said hurriedly, "Promise?"

All of a sudden, Yami found that Yugi's eyes were serious.

Trying to deflate the tension, Yami ruffled Yugi's hair. "I promise," he reassured Yugi. "Now come on, food's ready. How much relish do you want?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Man… I'm stuffed," Yami groaned. He lifted his head from the table, then laid it back down with a sigh.

Yugi was laughing softly at the teenager's antics. "I'll take our dishes to the sink," he offered. "Should I wash them?"

Yami gave out another sigh. "You're such a good kid," he mumbled, closing his eyes. "It's fine, though… just leave them, I'll take care of them later."

Yugi collected the various plates and utensils scattered over the table, then glanced at the bottle of relish. "I'll put this away," he said, lifting it. Yami was fast asleep. Smiling, Yugi dumped the dishes into the sink before tucking the relish back where he remembered Yami grabbing it from the fridge. Having completed this, Yugi glanced back at Yami.

The boy sat down on the couch, unsure of what to do. There was still plenty of daylight left to waste - it was summer, sadly - so Yugi quickly grew bored. He glanced at Yami before getting up, hoping to explore the house. He left the study alone, remembering how Yami had done his work there.

Yugi searched the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room before concluding Yami's house felt as if no one was living there. It was ridiculously clean, the tabletops empty, the books stacked in neat piles… Yugi didn't bother with the cabinets and drawers, saving them for another time. He headed back to the living room.

Unfortunately, at that moment Anzu barreled into the house. She left the door open, the summer sun blazing through.

Wide-eyed, Yugi backed out of sight of the light. Anzu didn't notice, hunting through the drawers.

"Where did I put them?" she muttered, finally holding up a key. "Finally! Bye Yugi!" She left without a second word, forgetting to close the door. Yugi listened to her car pulling away before glancing at the door. He knew it was bad for the door to be open.

He walked back into the kitchen, intending to wake up Yami. Then he paused. "I can do this," he said softly, turning away. Biting his lip, Yugi walked into the hallway, stopping just where the sun spilled into the hall. The boundary of light and dark was plain to see - Yami's hallway was immaculate, nothing on the floor to create any more shadows.

Finally the boy reached out, quickly pulling the door closed. He hissed slightly in pain, but he heard the satisfying click of the door locking, and smiled.

He inspected his hand. It was fine - the stinging was already slowly fading. Yugi shook his head. Why was he doing this, anyway? Yugi chuckled softly, leaning against the wall. The boy looked over in Yami's direction. Then he sat down, curling up to hold his knees. He would be fine. He'd wait for Yami to wake up.

Yami slowly opened his eyes, then got up, blinking hard. As he slowly woke up, Yami panicked. He checked the time before saying, "Yugi?"

The boy emerged from the hallway, smiling. "Yes?" he started to say, but got cut off by Yami hugging him hard.

"I'm so sorry!" Yami babbled. His hair was sticking up every which way, his arms squeezing slightly harder as he continued, "I slept for hours! My god, you were all alone in the house! Were you lonely or anything? Were you comfortable?"

Yugi was in shock for a second before laughing. "I'm fine!" he lied. In truth, after the hallway incident, he'd been sitting in the same position for the rest of the time Yami had slept. So he was a bit stiff and sore. But the boy felt warm and safe in Yami's arms, and was torn about whether to feel happy or alarmed about that. Thankfully, Yami pulled away.

"Good," he sighed in relief, "but again, I'm sorry. You know you can wake me if you need anything, right?" Yugi nodded. Grimacing once more in apology, Yami straightened. He peeked out the window before asking, "So how strong does the sunlight have to be before it hurts?"

Yugi frowned. "I don't know," he admitted. Yami shrugged. "Okay, let's wait until it's darker then."

To pass the time, Yami set up a game of chess, starting to teach Yugi the rules. To both their delights, Yugi picked it up quickly. Yugi's mood fell though, as Yami consistently beat the boy four out of five times.

"You're too good!" Yugi complained, as Yami took his last pawn.

Yami laughed. "Sorry," he teased. "Check."

Yugi groaned, leaning back.


	6. Chapter 6

"We're not going to get lost again, right?" Yugi asked nervously.

Yami laughed. "No, don't worry," he said confidently, navigating the streets. "Anzu had just moved, I didn't know that part of town as well."

Yugi smiled. "It's fine," he said, happy now that he was sure they weren't going to get lost.

Yami sighed, saying, "Still, it's a bit embarrassing."

Both chuckled until Yugi added, "I think I know the town pretty well by now though. I can always try to help out."

Yami shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get anywhere now. The only thing I'm unfamiliar with are things like clubs or gang headquarters… those aren't on the map app…"

It was silent for a while as they walked, until the teenager suddenly stopped.

Yugi barely managed to keep from bumping into Yami. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Yami face-palmed.

"There's no one that I need to protect you from, right?" he said, worried. "Like, any gangs or… well, something like that"

When Yugi shook his head, Yami sighed in relief. "I'm so glad," he said happily. "I can't believe I didn't think of that, though… how am I supposed to protect you if I don't think of things like that…"

Yugi watched Yami start mumbling to himself.

Suddenly the boy laughed. "Thank you," he said cheerfully.

Yami looked startled, before grinning. "No problem. So there's this mall I wanted to hit first. Just down this way."

They stepped out onto a busy road, dodging pedestrians to reach the large building on the other side. Yugi stared at it, noting the cement steps leading up to the entrance. He touched the railing lightly, feeling where the cool metal corroded into rust. Then they entered, and Yugi's attention was captured by the bustling crowds.

Yami pointed out a clothing store. Everything looked expensive, causing Yugi to be a bit reluctant as they walked towards it. "I thought this one would be good first," Yami said, noticing.

They entered, where Yami and Yugi struggled to do proper clothes shopping. "I should have brought Anzu!" Yami grumbled halfway through, as they were looking as shelves upon shelves of shirts. "How do girls do this?" In the end, they bought several pairs of socks, pants, a few shirts, a jacket, and a hat.

"Isn't this expensive?" Yugi asked nervously as they piled the merchandise into the bags.

Picking them up, Yami shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about that. Next are the shoes, come on." Yugi groaned good-naturedly at the thought. Yami thought a pair of black boots would look good on Yugi, but the boy flatly refused after seeing the price tag. They settled on some sneakers.

Yugi glanced in concern at the box which joined the pile of things. "That's all, right?" he asked.

Yami chuckled. "No, not quite. But we're almost there - just a few more things."

Yugi reluctantly followed, realizing that shopping was a very tedious thing to do, even though Yami seemed to be having fun. Yugi's thoughts were interrupted by Yami - only then he noticed they had walked into what looked like a department store.

The teenager was pointing at a rack of toothbrushes. "Which one do you like best?" Mind reeling, Yugi stared at the rack. Yami was buying him even this? Yugi immediately reached for the cheapest one. Yami noticed but didn't comment, paying for it with the cashier. At this point Yami checked his phone before saying, "Okay… Anzu drove the car over. Let's load it up, then after this, just one more thing and we are good."

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. They headed outside, where Yugi's eyes widened as he saw the car that Yami owned. "It's so pretty," he said. Yami laughed. He unlocked the silvery-grey Hyundai, loading up the car with their stuff.

Yugi did the same before they wandered back into chaos of the mall. They passed a lot of stores, leading Yugi to wonder where they were going. Yugi heard the barking from the pet store, and smiled just thinking about the puppies.

Suddenly Yami stopped. He turned, and grabbed Yugi's hand, pulling the boy roughly away.

"Yami?" Yugi asked nervously.

They went quite a ways before Yami stopped.

"Hey, Yami?" Yugi asked again.

Yami sighed, his shoulders relaxing. Yugi hadn't noticed that the teenager had tensed up - he wondered what happened. Then Yami turned around, smiling sheepishly. "I'm scared of animals," he explained. "The last thing we need to get is dinner. What do you want?"

Yugi stared up at Yami before grinning. "Anything?" he asked excitedly.

Yami laughed, patting Yugi's head. "Of course, but don't go overboard. I don't want you getting sick or anything."

Yugi eagerly glanced around at the restaurants surrounding them. As the boy made a beeline for a taco place, Yami exhaled deeply before following.


	7. Chapter 7

"Can I have two small milkshakes, vanilla, and… how many did you want again?" Yami glanced down at Yugi, who was slightly hidden behind Yami's back. The reason for this was mainly because of the cashier. A middle-aged man whose nametag read 'Honda'. Yami had been here numerous times, thus resulting in him and Honda becoming acquaintances.

When they had first walked up, Honda had greeted Yami cheerfully. "Hey, Yami! So what're you having…" His voice had trailed off when he noticed Yugi. Bending forward over the counter, Honda had exclaimed, "Whoa! You've got a kid already? Damn, why do you always get the good stuff? What kind of girl was she?"

Exasperatedly, Yami was given no choice but to spend half an hour convincing Honda that Yugi was in fact not his kid. By the time he was done, Yugi was both hungry and uneasy around Honda.

"Yugi?" Yami prompted.

Yugi said slowly, "Um…" His gaze was fixed firmly on Honda. "Can I try… two?" Yami turned with a forced smile. "Four beef tacos, please." Unaware of the effect his enthusiasm caused, Honda replied, "Coming right up! Anything else?"

Yami shook his head, handing Honda a few bills. "Keep the rest as tip," he said absently, guiding Yugi to a table. "Wait!" Honda said. "Yami, you accidentally gave me the wrong bills!" Yami froze, then backtracked, quickly switching the dollars. "Thank you," he said apologetically, returning to where Yugi sat.

The boy asked curiously, "What did he mean, the wrong bills?"

Yami laughed sheepishly. "The ones I gave him were of the wrong value."

Yami then sighed, slumping down on the table.

"What's wrong?" Yugi asked worriedly.

Yami waved a hand.

"Nothing… I'm just tired. Not used to staying up this late…"

Yugi giggled. "Oh, that's right," the boy realized. "You were working earlier. Where did you go?"

Yami popped up from his arms, grinning suddenly. "While we wait for our food," he said mischievously, "how about we play 20 Questions? You can try to guess my second job."

Yugi frowned. "How do you play that, again?"

Yami quickly explained the rules: Yugi could ask 20 questions with only 'yes' or 'no' answers.

Yugi nodded, saying, "Okay… um, question one… does it include physical labor?"

Yami grinned. "Yes," he said.

"Does it take place close to home?" Yugi tried. Yami nodded, smiling.

Yugi sighed. "Am I supposed to just randomly keep asking questions?"

Teasingly, Yami replied, "Yes! Okay, seventeen questions left!"

Yugi blinked, "Wait, what? Hey! That doesn't count!"

Yami shrugged, still grinning. Sighing, Yugi asked resignedly,

"Fine… is it, like, at a restaurant?" Yami shook his head.

Yugi hesitated before he thought of something. He glanced at where their food was being prepared before he asked slowly, "Is it something only you can do?"

In an instant, Yami's expression went blank before he laughed. "You have that much faith in my abilities? Ah… for the record, yes." Yugi nodded, doing his best to appear nonchalant as he gauged Yami's reaction.

The teenager kept smiling, waiting for Yugi's next question.

Yugi hesitated once more when suddenly Honda called out, "Hey Yami! Your food is done!"

Both looked up before Yami said cheerfully, "Okay, I'll go grab it! Give me a second."

As he got up, Yugi stared into space for a moment before leaning back against the chair, his stomach growling.

"I'm back!" Yami said, setting down the tray before Yugi.

The boy happily started sipping his milkshake as Yami got started on his beef taco. They didn't talk, scarfing the food down. Yugi enjoyed the tacos - they were delicious. He was beginning to believe meat was his favorite food.


	8. Chapter 8

"Was the food good?" Yami asked hopefully as they took their time walking out of the mall.

Yugi nodded. The teenager looked happy until a woman walked up to Yami.

Young, blond, and flustered, she asked the teenager something in what sounded like Italian.

To Yugi's utter amazement, Yami replied smoothly in the same language, laughing a little. When the woman left, Yami looked after her with an amused look on his face.

Yugi asked curiously, "Did you know her?"

Yami looked down, then smiled. "No."

Yugi laughed. "Really? Then, how did you learn something like Italian?"

Yami hesitated. Finally he replied, "I've forgotten by now. But hey! We're at the car already. Hop in."

Obligingly Yugi got into the passenger seat. The trip back home was considerably shorter than when they had walked.

Unsteadily, the boy tried to lift the bag stuffed with clothes until Yami switched it out for the shoe box.

"Sorry," Yugi apologized as they got into the house.

"Nothing to apologize for," Yami said distractedly, locking up the house. He then unceremoniously dumped the bag onto the floor before collapsing on the couch.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked worriedly. When there was no response, Yugi checked Yami's expression. The teenager was sound asleep. Yugi recalled how tired Yami had been at the taco place.

Yugi checked the sky outside. It was still dark, but Yugi could see a faint lightness on the horizon. "The night is ending," he murmured. He stretched, then pulled a fleece blanket from the bed to lay over Yami. Sitting cross-legged before Yami, Yugi reflected on how, while most people looked innocent when they slept, Yami seemed ancient. His brow was furrowed, his lips pressed tight together to give off a serious air that contrasted with the cheerful person Yugi had grown used to.

The boy yawned, laying down on the floor beside Yami. He quickly fell asleep, only to be woken what seemed like moment later by pain. Hissing, Yugi leapt up, looking around warily. The curtain had blown to the side, letting a strip of light run across Yugi's cheek. Relaxing, the boy deftly closed the window, drawing the curtains close together. Then he turned on the fan - it got hot during the summer.

"Yami," he said, patting the teenager's shoulder, "do you have to work today?"

Sleepily Yami mumbled, "Probably… I'll be up in a minute."

Yugi laughed, going into the kitchen. Slowly he put bread into the toaster, microwaved some bacon that was already cooked, and went to work on some eggs.

When Yami was finally up, he took one look at the spread and hugged Yugi tightly. Yugi started slightly, his eyes widening before he relaxed enough to hug Yami back.

"You," Yami said cheerfully, "are the best kid ever! Thanks!"

Yugi grinned. "I didn't mess up?" he asked hopefully.

Yami checked the eggs, then shook his head. "You did great!" Giving Yugi one more squeeze before sitting down, he began to eat quickly.

"What kind of work are you doing today?" Yugi asked curiously.

Yami shrugged. "Handyman today - I'll learn what requests I've got when I get there."

Yugi hesitated, then asked, "Why do you have so many jobs?"

Yami seemed surprised before responding dismissively, "Eh, what can I say? I'm not sure myself, really. Anyway, get some more sleep and be safe, alright?"

Yugi nodded, watching as Yami entered the hallway. A ray of sunlight shimmered into existence briefly before Yami closed the door, locking it.

The boy waited until he heard the car leave the driveway, then he sat on the floor. It took him an hour before he got bored. Remembering the numerous books in Yami's room, the boy got up and headed over to the study. Yugi opened the door, heading to the walls. Then he noticed Yami's laptop was still on. At first he didn't think much of it - it was plugged in,so it wouldn't die.

However, Yugi glanced over at it once more. The screen hadn't darkened yet - and a document was still opened. Yugi hesitated before heading over to the laptop, curiosity getting the better of him. He minimized the document, searching for the folder it was located in. To his surprise, it was labeled 'Journal of Affliction'. Yugi's eyes widened. "What the…" he muttered. "This…" The boy scrolled through the folder, then shook his head. "No, this isn't about me," he said, noticing how far the files date back.

Yugi frowned, slightly reluctant to invade Yami's privacy. But only slightly. He clicked on a most recent one, dated just last night, when the two had been shopping together. "I feel bad about hiding this from Yugi," the boy read aloud, one eyebrow raising with interest. "I nearly gave myself away… I bet he caught on, he's a smart boy." Yugi broke off reading to laugh. "He sounds like a doting parent!"

He kept reading, "I wish I didn't have this 'affliction,' as the doctors called it. More like a curse. Yugi trusted me with his own problems… I should tell him. But how am I supposed to tell him? My secret is… just ridiculous. He'd never believe me."

Yugi sighed, leaning back. "What's he talking about?" the boy said in frustration. He closed that file, scrolling through the surprisingly large folder. Finally he clicked on the first document, dated back a few years ago. "Today my parents gave me up to the doctors. A lifetime of promising they'd keep me safe, and now they've given me up. Traitors."

The boy stopped reading for a moment, silent. "The doctors don't know what it is either," he finally continued. "They talk about the unusual reactions in my brain, nerve systems in my ears, etc. etc. They're just bluffing - trying to appease my parents. In all honesty, every one of those doctors are afraid of me." Yugi sighed.

"Why won't Yami actually write what his 'affliction' is?" he groaned, skimming over the rest of document before closing it. He tried a few more documents but ended up closing the folder, leaving the laptop screen as it had been. Yami hadn't written a single thing that told Yugi what his affliction was, only how it affected his life. "Fine," Yugi sighed, leaving the study.

"Fine… what?"

Yugi blinked. Before him stood Yami - and behind him was an open door. Beyond that, Yugi saw only a few streaks of light lit the sky. Had he been reading that long? The boy laughed. "I was looking through the books in your room," he lied, "but couldn't find one I liked, so I gave up."

Yami laughed. "I'll help you look later then," he promised, putting his stuff down.

Yami headed into the kitchen. "You weren't so distracted you didn't have lunch yet, right?" he teased, scrounging through the fridge.

"No," Yugi fibbed, thinking quickly. "I'd had breakfast for lunch as well."

Yami laughed. "Okay," he said. After a moment he glanced back at the boy. "So how does something different sound?"

Yugi chuckled. "Like what?"

The teenager sighed. "I'm pretty worn out right now, so how does pizza sound?"

At Yugi's sudden excitement Yami opened his phone, looking up the place's website. "Which one?" he said invitingly.

Yugi came over, looking at the various toppings, crusts, cheeses, etc. "Whoa…" he said, wide-eyed. "Uh… any of them?"

Yami rolled his eyes. "Yes," he said firmly.

The boy burst out, "A small hand-toss with pepperoni and a side of breadsticks with marinara dip and cheese packets…" Yugi trailed off when he saw Yami's grin. Sheepishly Yugi smiled.

Ruffling the boy's hair, Yami made the call. When he was done he closed the phone. There was silence for a moment before Yugi said awkwardly, "So… thanks for understanding about my allergy."

Yami smiled. "Of course," he replied.

Hesitantly, Yugi added, "So… thanks for believing in me."

Yami glanced at Yugi curiously. "Right…" he said slowly. "Where did this come from, all of a sudden?"

Yugi sighed. He knew he wasn't doing a very good job of this. "Ah, well, I've never asked you whether you have any… uh… allergies, yourself." Wow. He was really keeping it subtle there.

As Yugi performed a mental face-palm Yami said with amusement, "No allergies, but thanks for asking."

Yugi nodded, deciding Yami wasn't lying. However, at that point Yugi had no idea what question to ask next. Yugi shook his head, also deciding he hated the game 20 Questions.

"There is something I'll have to tell one day though," Yami added absently, just as a knock sounded at the front door.

Yami went to get their pizza, leaving the boy to sit and smile. He'd figure it out eventually.


	9. Flashback I

"Good morning," a boy said laughingly. Dark hair fell down into his eyes, each blazing bright red.

His parents looked up from the dinner table.

"Good morning," his mother said.

His father smiled. "You have a foreign presenter today in your French class, right?" he questioned.

The boy nodded, smiling. "I can't wait!" he said, grabbing his bag. He ran for the bus.

"Ryou! Ryou! Hey, wait for me!"

The white-haired boy glanced back.

"Hurry up, then!" he called back.

Ryou hurriedly entered the bus, asking the driver to wait as the boy with red eyes just barely made it. As they sat down Ryou sighed. "How are you always late, Yami?"

Yami shrugged. "Woke up late. As usual." Ryou rolled his eyes, putting his bag below the seat.

As Yami did the same he asked, "Hey, are you ready for the foreign presenter to come?"

Ryou nodded. "Yeah… first period today, right?"

They laughed together. Yami thought about it, then said, "Hey… the language we're learning, we've never learned to speak it, only write it, right?"

"We've only been in it for a month, though," Ryou pointed out. Yami smiled. "Yeah, I guess. We'll have to read the captions of that guy's presentation, then."

The bus pulled up to their school. Homeroom was uneventful. Yami stared listlessly at his classmates, ducking as the occasional paper airplane came flying out of nowhere. "You look bored," Ryou observed. Yami sighed. "You think?" he muttered.

Their teacher really was useless - he caught sight of two girls giggling over their phones, and the guys were throwing the ball all over the place without a care.

Then came French class.

Yami sat down as the teacher said, "Okay, this man is…" Yami tuned her out, watching as the projector came on.

Then the foreign man came in, smiling. "Hello everyone," he said.

Yami frowned. The man didn't sound foreign at all… his words didn't quite match the presentation's captions, but still. He glanced over at Ryou, who was staring at the presentation's captions. "He doesn't sound foreign," Yami whispered to Ryou.

His classmate glanced at him, startled.

"What?" Ryou asked.

Yami repeated, "He doesn't sound foreign."

Ryou sighed. "Unless you know this language, it's foreign, Yami."

Their whispered conversation was interrupted by the man as he spoke some more.

Yami was confused. Everything the man was saying was in their own language, no trace of an accent or anything.

"Any questions?" the man said. The captions repeated his words.

Yami raised his hand, and the teacher gestured to him. "Why don't you sound foreign?" Yami asked.

Everyone turned to him.

"What?" Yami said defensively. "He doesn't."

Ryou tugged at Yami's sleeve. "What are you saying?" he whispered urgently.

Yami blinked, then sat down, beginning to feel uneasy. "Never mind," he said.

After a moment, the class turned away, others beginning to ask questions.

Ryou asked Yami, "What did you say up there?"

Yami shook his head. "Nothing," he replied. He slumped down slightly, unsure of what had happened. "Nothing."

The rest of the day he did his best to put the moment out of his mind, although his classmates shot him weird looks sometimes, which didn't help. Finally, when school ended Yami was relieved to leave the bus and wave back at Ryou before entering his house.

Like it was mocking him, the only homework he had to do was the foreign language worksheet. A reflection on the foreign speaker. Sighing loudly he was noticed by his father, who had just come home.

"What's wrong?" his father asked, amused at the sight.

Yami hesitated. "Our foreign speaker… he didn't sound foreign at all," the boy said eventually.

His father laughed. "Is that so?" he murmured. He came over, then laughed. "Then this should be easy," he said, pointing to one of the questions. It read: Were there any words you recognized, and what were they?

Yami laughed along with him. "I guess so," he said.

When his father turned his back, Yami stared at the question, uneasiness building once more. On impulse, he wrote on the space provided, There were no words I recognized. Then he filled in the rest of the worksheet quickly before stuffing it in his bag, deciding not to think about it for the rest of the day.


	10. Chapter 10

_There is only understanding._

 _I learned the meaning of words, so the meaning became clear to me, regardless of which words were spoken._

 _So why is it…_

 _It is so hard to comprehend their meanings, their actions?_

 _Why? Why? WHY?_

"...mi. Yami. Yami."

A soft murmur came from the teenager as he slowly opened his eyes, looking up at the boy. He blinked for a moment, confused. "Yugi!" he said in delight, reaching out to Yugi. He pulled the child up to his chest, humming happily. Yugi was frozen for a moment before sighing, amused. "Breakfast is ready, Yami."

Yami grew more awake at those words. "Really?"

Yugi nodded. "What is it?"

The boy smiled, slipping away as he said, "I know you have work today again, you told me yourself yesterday. Come on, before your bacon gets cold."

Yami groaned into the pillow. "Why'd I tell you I had to work?" he complained. Eventually he got up, following Yugi into the kitchen.

"Thank you!" Yami happily exclaimed. He gave Yugi a quick squeeze before beginning to dig into his meal.

"What do you do today?" Yugi asked curiously.

Yami paused between bites, thinking about it. "Today should be… ehm." He swallowed.

Laughing Yugi said, "You don't remember, do you?"

Yami frowned. "I do!... Today I'm a handyman again."

Slowly the boy shook his head at him. "You totally just remembered."

Yami kept eating, pretending he didn't hear.

Chuckling, Yugi started on his own meal.

Yami finished before him, quickly getting ready before calling out, "Be safe!"

Yugi waved back, gathering their dishes and dumping them into the sink. True to his word, Yami was consistently washing the dishes, leaving the sink empty.

The boy sat silently on the couch for a moment, thinking. He'd already gone through Yami's computer, and he was apprehensive of asking directly… Yugi sighed. There was no other way of figuring out exactly what Yami's "affliction" was. According to the journal, not even Anzu or Jounouchi knew of Yami's problem, so even if Yugi visited them, they wouldn't know anything.

Yugi rolled onto his side, frustrated by the dead-end he'd reached.

Across town, Yami paused, looking up at the sky.

"You okay?" one of his coworkers asked.

A moment passed before the teenager smiled, nodding as he picked up his stack of boxes once more. "I'm good," he replied. He helped pile up the boxes into the truck before someone called out, "Break!" Sighing in relief, he stepped back.

"No!" someone shouted.

The teenager slowed, confused. In that moment he saw the dark blur as it came racing down the road, their client in the middle as she fussed over the placement of her items. Yami stared blankly, his mind barely beginning to process what was happening as a co-worker beside him lunged forward, pushing the woman out of the way.

She scraped her hands and knees on the concrete as she fell, her savior bracing himself for the hit.

The roar of the car was loud in Yami's ears as he shouted, "STOP!"

Suddenly the car stalled, halting just before it hit Yami's co-worker.

The teenager stood, breathing raggedly. The man stood there for a few more seconds before realizing he was still alive, and not in pain. He opened his eyes to stare disbelievingly at the car stopped just before him.

Then he turned quickly to where Yami had stood, but the teenager was nowhere to be found.

Yami was walking quickly through an empty street, having long abandoned the scene. His mouth was closed tightly, his eyes narrowed in frustration. He looked up, getting his bearings. In no time, he stood in front of his house. Yami stared dejectedly at the place.

Slowly he walked up to it, unlocking the door and entering. As he closed the door behind him he said, "Yugi, I'm home!"

The child peeked out from the living room. "Yami!" the boy exclaimed. Then he teased Yami, "What, did you get fired?"

The teenager sighed. "Nope, I quit," he said casually. Yugi looked startled. "You did?" he asked, sitting alongside Yami on the couch.

Yami smiled. "I have plenty of other jobs, and I couldn't keep up with this one. It's fine, I'll get to work on my editing job pretty soon anyway." He yawned before leaning down on the armrest, falling asleep. Yugi stared at him silently, worried.


	11. Chapter 11

**I am so, so sorry. For those of you still with this story. I know I took forever. Sorry.**

* * *

Yugi fidgeted as he stood in front of the door to Yami's study. The teenager had left for work once more, a different job, and Yugi was suspicious. He wondered if Yami's abrupt decision to quit the handyman job had something to do with his affliction. The child figured if that were the case, then Yami surely would have written it in his electronic journal.

...Now if only Yugi could convince himself invading Yami's privacy was the right thing to do. He exhaled, then reached for the doorknob. With a creak that startled the child, the door opened. Yugi hesitated a moment longer before darting over to the laptop, pressing the power button. It felt like it took an eternity for the laptop to boot up. Finally the screen flickered on.

Yugi quickly scanned through the documents and files, selecting the one dated the day before. In his rush, he barely noticed how long it was, before he quickly began reading.

"I made a mistake. I should have let him get run over," Yugi read aloud. "I didn't even know him… and now they think I'm a freak. Or maybe they didn't make the connection. Either way, I can't go back. I can't… I'll have to work harder now. Yugi's a good kid, he doesn't ask for a lot, but still. I need to be able to take care of him. I'm just glad he's not foreign. He would have found me out in a second."

The child stopped, confused. "What would being foreign have to do with Yami's affliction?" he wondered. He continued, "The doctors found this out already, but I'm still… freaked out, I guess, that something like a car can count. What does this stem from? If only I was smarter, maybe I could have cured myself by now. Hah. Or maybe I'd be able to appreciate this kind of thing - use it to move, or something."

Yugi sighed. "What is he talking about?" the child complained. "Yami…" He stopped, glancing at the journal entry. "I hope Yugi's not worried," Yugi continued. "I've been acting weird. But how can I help it? With my -" Yugi paused, his eyes wide.

"Yugi!"

At the sound of the all-too familiar baritone voice, Yugi froze from reading Yami's diary. Slowly, he turned around, his stomach dropping as he saw Yami in the open doorway. He knew he couldn't lie his way out of this one - the laptop was still on, Yami's journal filling the screen.

The teenager crossed over to the laptop, closing it abruptly. The slam made Yugi jump slightly where he sat, tense as he waited - for a blow, or a rebuke? He stood when Yami turned to him, backing away slowly. "What were you doing?" Yami asked, his voice low. Yugi shook his head.

"That was my journal," Yami said. His expression was unreadable as he asked, "How much did you read?" Yugi hesitated. He wanted to lie - the teenager was giving him a way out. Yugi could say that he'd just started, or he was skipping through the documents, a million things. Still, he couldn't help but remember the words he'd just read. Yugi closed his eyes.

With that in his mind, how could he lie? It was impossible. "All of it," he confessed quietly. Yami was silent. Yugi opened his eyes slightly to see the teenager turned away. Then without a word Yami grabbed his wallet, which explained why he'd come back so early, and left the room. Yugi missed a beat before following frantically, but Yami was out the door. Yugi could hear the car starting and leaving the driveway.

The child stood in the hallway, staring at the doorway Yami had forgotten to close. The light blinded him. "It hurts," Yugi muttered, referring to the sunlight. "That's why I'm crying," he said brokenly. Tears spilled down his cheeks, dripping down his chin.

Yugi walked forward - more of a shaky step every few seconds - his eyes burning. He knew where Yami was working - in an office for the day. Yugi knew this much. Maybe it'd be enough. He reached out, then withdrew his hand sharply. The only problem was the sunlight.

He had to say sorry for betraying Yami's trust.

He had to say that he understood.

That he knew what it was like to be… a freak.

He just had to.

Yugi hurriedly put on his jacket. Pulling the sleeves up as much as possible over his hands, he reached out, tugging the door open. Though his hood was low over his head, it wasn't enough to spare him the pain.

He ran towards the marketplace, the first place he saw shade. Ducking beneath a tent, he took a moment to breathe. Yugi noticed how the guy manning the stall looked at him - like he recognized him. Though Yugi was sure he'd never seen him before.

"Hello… have you… seen my… brother?" Yugi asked.

The vendor smiled. "Oh, you mean the boy that looks like you? Yes, he went that way."

Yugi thanked the man before running off. Behind him, the vendor watched in worry. "If he's that tired, he should take a break from playing," the man said to himself, but then shrugged. It wasn't any of his business anyway.

Yugi breathed raggedly as he ducked into a shadowed alley, catching his breath. Everything hurt - his arms, his hands, his eyes. Even from the shelter the roof provided, the light he could see seemed to sear itself into his retinas.

He was thankful he was still doing so well. It'd been years since he'd had anything other than limited contact to sunlight, so Yugi was relieved that his exposed skin was still a light shade of brown. Still, it felt so hot he half-expected his sneakers to combust, as unreasonable as that was.

The direction the vendor had pointed him in was really vague. Yugi tried to remember what details he could about Yami's current job.

An office… he had been complaining about how small it was.

And the air-conditioning was too cold.

Yami had also offhandedly mentioned it'd be a bad place for Yugi, with how the walls were practically windows.

There were a few buildings down the block that matched these descriptions - skyscrapers that reflected the sunshine off of their glass panes, with an aura of control that came with large corporations. Yugi doubted Yami was actually playing a very big role in this particular business, but he couldn't be sure.

He didn't really want to check every single one…

But if he was going to burn himself to a crisp while apologizing, he may as well do it thoroughly. And maybe Yami would forgive him that way.

Or he would just be disgusted with how -

Yugi shook off the thought, stepping back into the sunlight. He tried to ignore the pain as he jogged towards the nearest building.

There were actually six buildings that matched the description - each spread out apart, only two of them close enough to be on the same street. Yugi knew he was in trouble when his skin started turning a medium brown, resembling Yami's sunburned skin after a day outdoors.

He ducked into the third building, fervently hoping this was the right one. The first hadn't had any air-conditioning, so he'd been able to leave that right away. The second had been open to the public, but with open-box offices.

Yugi had been forced to wander up and down the aisles like a lost child, and was asked by various strangers several times if he needed help finding something.

He studied the scene before him. This building had a lobby, with people looking very busy, walking with brisk paces. There were elevators, too - leading to the upper floors, probably. Yugi noticed the person at the lobby with no small amount of chagrin.

So this wasn't a place he could enter easily.

Turning back to the revolving door, Yugi found himself hoping Yami wasn't in this building after all.

The next building had a friendlier atmosphere, despite the monotony of the inside. The air conditioning was definitely soothing his burns. Yugi decided to chance asking a nearby janitor if he'd seen his brother.

"Oh, Yami?" the man said. "He should be down that hallway, third door on the right. Or if not, probably taking a break outside, through that door at the very end."

"Thank you," Yugi said gratefully.

Fluorescent light wasn't as painful as natural sunlight, but it was starting to irritate Yugi's eyes. He counted the doors as he went, turning the knob as soon as he found the one the janitor had pointed out.

To Yugi's dismay, it was locked.

"Uh…" He jiggled it in an almost disbelieving way. Yugi bit his lip lightly before knocking. When he didn't hear anyone respond, he knocked louder, more insistently.

The door opened suddenly. "Damn, what do you want? I told you I was busy…" Yami trailed off when he saw Yugi. They locked eyes - red and violet, both startled. But Yami's expression was slowly closing, while Yugi began to panic.

While Yugi tried to think of how to say 'sorry' or explain why he came, Yami slammed the door closed.

Before the boy could do more than blink, Yami whipped the door open. "This is for your allergy," he said in an unidentifiable tone, shoving a folded umbrella in Yugi's hands. Then the door shut again.

Yugi stared at the umbrella in his hands, taken aback.


	12. Chapter 12

**I usually don't do author notes, but...**

 **Sorry. My editor's been having a busy life, so I thought, what the heck. Let's just post the chapters - I've only had them in storage forever. Why not?**

* * *

He stood there for a minute, still staring blankly at the closed door.

Abruptly, Yugi realized that as nice as the gesture was, he had nowhere to go. In his haste to talk to Yami, he'd forgotten to grab the spare keys to the house… he was effectively locked out until - hopefully; he wasn't sure how mad Yami was at this point - Yami let him back in.

Although, he couldn't stay here. He didn't want to cause Yami any trouble by drawing attention. He hurried back outside, opening up the umbrella.

What to do?

He decided to go back to the house. He could always wait on the porch - if he closed his eyes and kept the umbrella open, maybe he'd be able to avoid any burns.

Yugi started to retrace his route, only to stop when he noticed a store.

It was a bright green store. Small with yellow words spelled out across the front, but most of all it was noticeable. Despite that, Yugi hadn't seen it before. He turned around, shielding his eyes as he looked over the buildings as best as he could.

The skyscrapers were still there.

But they didn't look the same as they had when he'd started walking towards them earlier.

He was lost.

Yugi sighed as he readjusted the umbrella on his shoulder, resting it in a more comfortable position. He probably would have just started walking aimlessly if at that moment someone called out, "Hey! Aren't you Yugi?" Yugi glanced back to see Anzu.

The brunette saw him look back and grinned, waving as she jogged over. "What's with the umbrella?" she teased, pulling it back. Making a sound of surprise, Yugi tugged it back in place. Anzu didn't notice, looking around. After a second, she asked Yugi curiously, "Where's Yami? The way he took care of you, I wouldn't figure he'd let you wander around by yourself."

"I… uh…" Yugi stammered quietly, not knowing what to say. "Yami needed… he'd forgotten his wallet." That much was true at least, and the boy sagged with relief as Anzu nodded, buying the story. He shifted, fidgeting with the umbrella handle.

He was about to say good-bye and go when suddenly Anzu said, "How about I walk you back, then? I'm not doing anything right now." She ruffled Yugi's hair in a friendly manner, jostling the boy.

Yugi still didn't have a key. He told Anzu he'd accidentally locked it in the house, but Anzu just laughed. "I have a spare key," she reassured Yugi, already walking ahead. Yugi hesitated before following. This was Yami's friend - and he'd have an easier time at home, where curtains could block out all sunlight.

They walked a ways, in a comfortable silence. Through alleys, across streets, around neighborhoods. Yugi didn't pay much attention until he accidentally let the hand holding the umbrella relax, letting a slice of sunlight shine directly across the side of his neck.

Holding back a hiss of pain, Yugi gripped the umbrella tighter. What was taking them so long, anyway?

He looked up, peeking around the edge of the canopy to check their position. To his shock, the buildings were still in the wrong place. Though they were much farther away than before… Yugi stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Anzu asked, turning around.

Yugi bit his lip. "Um…" He was now wary and worried. Despite Anzu being Yami's friend, he was still a stranger. The boy wasn't willing to blindly trust her - especially when Yugi was certain Anzu wasn't leading him in the right direction.

However… his hesitation lasted too long. Anzu stepped forward. When Yugi reflexively retreated a step, the girl smirked. "Finally figured it out?" she laughed. She reached out, snatching the umbrella away in one quick motion. Yugi cried out as the noon sun beat down on his skin.

Anzu watched, briefly confused. Then she grabbed his wrist, pulling him with her as she walked. Stumbling, Yugi followed as best as he could to avoid falling on his face. As they progressed forward, their pace faster than before, Anzu started to talk.

"I didn't know who you were at first," she said conversationally. "But I like to use social media, and I posted a picture of my birthday party." She broke off to tug Yugi across a street as the light turned red. They turned a corner before she continued, "A few days later, someone contacted me. I didn't realize you were a runaway, Yugi. Disappearing right from home - how devastated your parents felt."

Yugi tried to pull back as they entered a neighborhood, but Anzu's grip was firm. "I'll explain it all to Yami," she told him as they approached a house. Yugi's eyes flickered back and forth, his attempts at escape growing frantic. "He'll understand. And here we are." When they reached the door, she pushed the doorbell.

The sound made Yugi flinch. It was loud, seeming to echo before fading. The two waited in silence, listening to the footsteps. They were excited, hurrying towards the door. It whipped open to reveal a short woman. Breathlessly she stood there, staring with wide eyes at Yugi. "You found him!" she exclaimed. Yugi froze, staring back at her with equally wide eyes - though with fear, not wonder.

"Yeah. Sorry I took so long," Anzu apologized. She stepped behind Yugi, ushering him closer to the woman.

Yugi stumbled forward almost mechanically, his eyes downcast. When the woman hugged him enthusiastically, his arms lifted slightly, uncertain. His mother whispered something in his ear before beaming at Anzu. "Thank you so much," she gushed, shaking Anzu's hand. Then she promptly whisked Yugi indoors.

Anzu laughed. "Gotta tell Yami - I think he was fond of the kid," she said to herself, pulling out her phone. She walked away, pulling up Yami's number. As she pressed the Call button and lifted the phone to her ear, a sudden yelling could be heard from the house. Startled, Anzu dropped the phone.

"Oops." She bent to pick it up, shooting an irritated glare at the house she had left. She remembered when she had received a call about the little boy in her picture, the worried mother desperately asking where he was. Anzu shook her head, wondering what kind of tantrum drove a boy to run away for weeks. "Hello? Yami?" she spoke into the phone.

A terse voice answered. "Anzu? I was about to hang up. Did you butt-dial me or something?"

Anzu laughed. "No. I dropped the phone." She was a little nervous about telling Yami what happened to Yugi, but she forged ahead. "So, uh, I found Yugi's mom. I dropped him off back home."

There was a long silence.

"Yami?"

When he replied, his voice was flat. "Oh. That's good. How did you find her?"

"I posted a picture… of my birthday party. I got a call from her yesterday," Anzu explained, eager to end the call. She didn't like Yami's tone, and even though she knew a child belongs with their parents, she felt a little guilty for taking Yugi away from Yami. "Anyway, gotta go. Bye!" She hung up.

On the other end of the line, Yami stared at the phone in his hand disbelievingly.

It felt a little like the time when he'd stayed up the night before Christmas, only to find out there was no Santa Claus after all.

He considered whether to call her back, but he knew around this time of day she'd probably be at her home, practicing her dancing. Yami gathered his things and left the office. "Sorry - I gotta go," he said hurriedly as he spotted by his supervisor. "Family emergency." He passed her without stopping, figuring he could make it up to her later.

If not, well, this was important.


	13. Chapter 13

It was sunny and bright, a cool breeze blowing through the city as Yami walked down the street. The restaurant door announced his arrival with a cheerful tinkling of bells. "Just you today?" the waitress asked, coming out from behind the counter.

"No… My friends are waiting for me," Yami corrected her, forging ahead without a second glance at her.

The waitress blinked, startled at the slight, then shrugged.

Anzu and Jonouchi were already sipping their drinks when Yami took a seat with them. Jonouchi grinned. "You're late," he laughed, clapping Yami on the back. "We almost ordered without you."

Yami tried to smile back, but was sure he failed. Anzu just stared into her cup, moving the ice around with her straw.

When the waitress came by for their orders, both Jonouchi and Yami told her they were still deciding. "And you, honey?" she asked, turning to Anzu. Raising her head, Anzu shook her head. Frowning slightly, the waitress left.

Sighing, Yami looked at Anzu. "So," he said flatly.

Jonouchi looked at the both of them. "Let's take a step back. What are you mad about again, Yami?"

Yami raised an eyebrow, staring pointedly at Anzu. "I think she knows," he said.

The ice crunched as Anzu pressed her straw down, her lips pressed together. "All I did," she said, her voice harsh, "was take Yugi back home. What's wrong with that?" She looked up at Yami, her expression defiant. Jonouchi leaned back in his chair, satisfied his friends were finally talking.

"At least tell me," Yami said angrily. "What were you planning to do if he wasn't out and about? Just go into my home and spirit him away?"

"His mom was worried," Anzu reminded him tersely.

Yami rolled his eyes. "That's not what I'm talking about. Tell me that his mom is looking for him. Tell me he needs to go. You see, what I'm upset about," he emphasized his words, glaring daggers at Anzu, "is that you told me after you sent him back." He set his jaw. "It's like you don't trust me. Not enough to even let me say good-bye."

"His mom was…"

"Worried, I get it," Yami said, impatient. "But why not let me know?"

She fiddled with her straw again. "I was going to. But I didn't contact her back until this morning, and when she told me everything, I wanted to get him back as soon as possible. And I was worried he wouldn't come if I…" She seemed to rethink her sentence, stopping abruptly.

Yami didn't miss her slip. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Yugi ran away from home." Anzu said this angrily, and Jonouchi's eyes widened slightly with understanding. She loved her parents, and believed in family and friendship strongly. "So I lied to him. But you should have seen how happy the mom was to see him again."

Yami's expression was furious for a split-second, his eyes hard. Then his face cleared as his brain clearly focused on something else. "Wait." He tried to remember Yugi's actions over the short time he'd known the boy. "He had a family… but he's so… He didn't know a lot of comforts and luxuries. How do you even know she was his mom?"

"They look too alike," Anzu replied, exasperation slipping into her voice.

He wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Anzu groaned. "Her name was Eria Mutou! I asked her what her son's name was, and she said it was Yugi!" She scowled at Yami. "Don't think I just brought him over without checking first. I - Yami?"

Jonouchi glanced at him in concern. "What's wrong?"

He just sat there, shocked, unable to form words. After a few moments, he managed to speak, his voice coming out low. "Her surname was Mutou?"

"Yeah…" Anzu said uncertainly.

It had been a long time since he had heard that name. Not long enough. Shaking his head, Yami got up roughly and stalked away. Anzu made as if to follow, but Jonouchi held her back. "I'll go," he said, catching the door as it swung back.

"Yami. Hey. Wait up, man," Jonouchi said, falling into step beside him.

For the first time in a while, Yami silently cursed Jonouchi's height and accompanying long legs.

Jonouchi gave him a short minute before asking, "So what was that about?"

"What was what about?" Yami said.

"Come on. We can't help out if you don't tell us."

"I don't need help with anything, Jonouchi." Yami was fully aware he was being a jerk, but he didn't particularly care. Besides, Jonouchi wasn't one to give up easy.

"Fine. Then why did you freak out when Anzu said the mom's name was Mutou?"

Yami was quiet. Then, "Seriously Jonouchi. Stop."

Jonouchi sighed in frustration. "Alright, alright. I'll always be there if you're ready to share though, 'kay?" He turned back to the restaurant, leaving Yami alone.

For a moment, Yami wondered whether Anzu had taken Yugi out into the sunlight. He wondered whether Yugi had lied straight to his face. He wondered if Yugi's delight in being treated to little things like toothbrushes and bacon was all fake.

Then he thought about his own childhood. If she had reacted to Yugi the same way she did when his oddities had appeared, he had no trouble believing Yugi had truly been that way.

That was only if it was the same woman Yugi was thinking of, though. He considered.

Anzu knew the address.

Yami pulled out his phone, none too willing to face her right now. He sent her a text, then leaned back against the wall as he waited for her answer.

His phone vibrated, and he looked down to see a street name and a line of numbers. Nothing else - apparently she was as reluctant to talk to him. He pocketed the device, setting off. It only took him a few minutes to reach the place - a somewhat worn-looking building. He pressed the doorbell.

There was some shuffling, and then the door opened to reveal a familiar face. "Who are you?" the woman asked.

Yami smiled bitterly. "Hi, mom."


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm sorry, what?" the woman said politely, looking confused.

"It's me - Atem."

Her face lit up. "Oh, my little pharaoh!" She came forward, enfolding him in a hug. He pushed her away gently, his hands on her shoulders. "My little brother… His name is Yugi, then. I was already nine, but I guess I forgot about him," he said, reminding her he had a reason to visit.

"Oh yeah. We divorced just a month after Yugi was born," his mom laughed.

"I remember you, though."

"We had such fun! I've missed you, Yami."

Yami fought to keep the smile on his face. He knew why his mom and his dad divorced - his mom was somewhat unstable. He hadn't particularly liked his stepmom or his dad, either. They were the ones to finally bring his condition to the attention of doctors in his early years of high school.

Was it any surprise he moved out as soon as he was old enough to?

"I've missed you too, mom," he said, trying to focus on the present. He wasn't quick enough - her face lit up as she heard his response. Too late, he realized she must have answered him in her birth language. He learned how to catch those moments as he grew up, the times when the lips and words don't match up.

This was because he learned that his inability to distinguish between languages - because he understood them all - caused trouble when he replied in the same tongue without knowing.

The language of people, of animals - even machinery. In fact, if he hadn't grown up reading about these things, he wouldn't have known the difference. He was incredibly lucky he had gotten away with it when he was younger.

Only certain types of noises, though. The quiet purr of a car may not trigger his condition, but the sound of a truck drowning everything else out? That certainly seemed to fulfill the strange rules his affliction followed.

She hugged him again. "I've missed my little pharaoh. To hear the words of my hometown!" He cleared his throat, and she nodded. "Of course. Yugi. He's a devil, and shies from sunlight. Still, if my little pharaoh wishes to see him…" His mother walked in, beckoning for him to come.

Yami followed her through the house. It was the sort of house with windows that let sunlight in, and no corner had a speck of dust. The kitchen and living room were both clearly empty, so Yami expected her to take him upstairs.

With no small amount of alarm did he watch her open the door next to the stairs.

He had first taken the the door to be a closet, but it revealed a set of stairs that spiraled down into darkness. His mom grabbed a flashlight that hung just inside the doorway and flicked it on, turned to smile at Yami. "This way," she said.

Below in the basement, Yugi huddled on a bench, his heart heavy.

He felt like a freak all over again.

Yet when he had been with Yami, he had forgotten all of that. He hadn't felt like a devil or some kid huddled in the alley, just trash the rest of humanity ignored. He had felt like he was loved.

Light pierced the darkness he sat in, making him flinch. Footsteps echoed on the stairs, and he worried about what mood his mother was. The light shone directly in his eyes, making him close them. "Yugi. Your brother's here to see you," his mom's voice came.

At first, he was confused. He didn't have a brother. And even when he opened his eyes, squinting, he couldn't see past the brightness.

Then the switch must have been flicked on, because the room flooded with light. Yugi had to blink, his eyes adjusting. He first saw his mom, then behind her…

Why was Yami here?

"Yami?"

His mom frowned at him. "This is Atem," she corrected him harshly. "Don't forget that, devil." She turned her back on Yugi as he shrank back, addressing Yami. "You may have three minutes, my little pharaoh. Then let us have lunch together. It's been so long."

Yugi waited until he could hear the door shut in the distance, staring at the floor.

It was Yami who spoke first. "I'm here to get you out, but I haven't the faintest idea how. Think I could sneak in at night? If I don't get lost, that is."

Yugi laughed weakly. "Who's Atem?" he asked. He lifted his gaze from the floor to look at Yami, who leaned back and shrugged. "That's my birth name," the teen admitted. He didn't look comfortable saying it.

"Birth name?" Yugi echoed, curious despite himself.

Yami made a face. "Mom grew up with grandpa, and apparently he was an archeologist. She was crazy about Egyptian culture." He shook his head. "Dad let mom do the naming, so she named me after some pharaoh. Long dead, of course - they all are - but she never let me forget who I was named after."

"Atem…" Yugi stared at Yami, his eyes wide. "Sometimes, when mom's in a mood - I mean, when she's tired, she'll mistake me for someone called Atem. So that's you."

"She still has those, then?" Yami murmured, frowning. He looked back at Yugi. "Have you ever gone to school?"

Yugi nodded. "Online courses…"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… Mom's not really… abusive or anything…" Yugi stared at his sneakers. "It's more like… I'm living off the bare minimum. She gives me a meal each day and all."

Yami let it go, changing the subject. "So how did you run away last time?"

"It was, uh, a robber."

"A what?"

Yugi smiled sheepishly. "I think it was one, anyway. There were some sounds from up above, and then… I think the basement door was kicked in. Someone came downstairs and turned on the light." He recalled the night it had happened, the details still clear in his mind. "I couldn't see - I was still waking up. I think I heard someone say something before leaving. When I got up and investigated, everything was ransacked."

"And then you saw the front door was open and bolted?" Yami guessed.

Yugi nodded. "It was in the middle of the night. When daylight came, I hid in alleyways until the sun went down." He looked embarrassed as his shoulders slumped. "I'm really glad you found me when you did."

Watching the boy, Yami set his jaw. "I can't take you out right now. It's too bright. I'll try to come tonight, alright, Yugi?" Yami seemed to consider something. "I have a friend… Well, two. They're not exactly - anyway, I think they'll be willing to help. Don't give up, alright?" He crossed the room and hugged Yugi.

They broke apart when the sound of the door opening disturbed the silence. Yami gave Yugi an apologetic smile just before their mother emerged from the stairway.

She took Yami's arm and led him upstairs. "I'm so happy to have you back, little pharaoh!" she chattered excitedly as she absently turned off the light, leaving Yugi in the darkness. He watched the light from her flashlight fade, then vanish entirely.

He settled back against the cold wall, crossing his arms tight against his chest.

Yugi never minded the dark. It was the crushing feeling of loneliness and abandonment that hit him hard.

He loved Yami for making him forget all that when they were together…

But that just made it worse now.


	15. Flashback II

Bakura cursed the spiderweb he hadn't noticed, tearing the strands from his face. Grimacing, he moved forward the last few feet. When he reached the marked spot, he dug his fingers into the tile, prying it from the rest of the ceiling. Below, he could see the diamond glinting in it's glass cage.

He grinned. As usual, Ryou had done his work well.

Bakura looked around as he focused his eyes, picking out the shimmering lines crisscrossing throughout the dark vault. They were faint, barely noticeable. They wove an intricate net around the prize, leaving holes only a hand's width - impossible to lift the glass container to get the diamond.

He pulled a small metal rod from his belt, pulling on either end to stretch it. It extended until it was about two-arm's length, long enough to reach the top of the container.

With a quick motion, he smashed a hole into the glass. The entire top shattered, falling inward, but the rest of it remained untouched. Grinning, Bakura took a rope tied to the beam beside him, lowering it over the container. Then he clung to it with his feet and one hand, sliding down until he could reach the diamond.

The alarm went off as he grabbed it. Guards burst into the room, and he inhaled, smashing a smoke bomb on the floor. He dropped down, ducking past them and emerging in the hallway. The windows had bars over them, again only a hand's width apart.

Bakura smashed a window pane, tossing the diamond out into the night. A figure leapt out from the trees, caught the diamond midair, and was over the fence before the guards chasing him or the ones stationed outside could see.

"Hands up!" an angry voice commanded. "Turn and face us - slowly."

Not bothering to hide the satisfied smirk on his face, Bakura followed the guard's orders. The guard glared at him. "Stop smiling," he snapped. "You've been captured. And soon we'll find that diamond you threw outside."

Bakura just stared at him, the upper half of his face shadowed by his hood.

The guard frowned, uneasy. "Hands in front - don't do anything funny," he ordered, taking out a pair of handcuffs. Bakura moved with exaggerated slowness, earning himself a cuff from the guard's gun. "You think this is funny?" he demanded, blinking hard.

Bakura raised an eyebrow, though he knew the guard couldn't see it, and stopped moving.

A thump startled the guard. Turning sluggishly, he saw his men collapsing to the ground one by one.

"You…" he struggled to say. "The smoke…"

As the gun slipped from the man's numb fingers, Bakura reached for the gas mask dangling from his belt, pressing it to his face. He inhaled as the guard fell, clearly unconscious. "Idiots," Bakura muttered, tying the mask in place. "I need to find a faster-acting sleeping agent. I nearly ran out of breath."

He returned to the vault, where he walked over the still bodies littering the entrance.

Hoisting himself up the rope left behind, he coiled it up and tied it to a belt loop. Bakura replaced the ceiling tile and stood back up.

The opening in the roof was still there. He pulled himself through, emerging onto the top of the building. Bakura noticed the guards standing at the gate, as well as the ones patrolling around the fence. Scoffing at their inattention, Bakura slipped down around the back, where the grounds were empty of guards.

"Bakura!" came the harsh whisper. Ryou peeked out at him from the other side of the fence. "There you are! Hurry up!"

Bakura jumped the fence, grinning. "Come on!" he said, tugging the teen with him. They ran out onto the road and between two houses, entering the maze of city streets. When they were a good distance from the mansion Bakura pulled his hood down, whooping. "Now that's what I call a good night!"

Sighing, Ryou shook his own hood free, sucking in a breath of the cold night air. Hazel eyes scanned their surroundings before he finally returned his attention to Bakura. "We were lucky," he murmured, absently feeling the weight of his satchel - far heavier than when the night had begun. "We shouldn't pull such dangerous jobs for a while."

Bakura hummed, clearly not listening. Ryou frowned at him for a moment, then added, "Besides, they're starting to get expensive just to pull off. Can't we just rob a little old lady or something?"

"Ruthless," Bakura teased his partner, stretching. But his expression softened slightly, and Ryou knew his words got through to the teen.

Ryou turned his phone back on, scrolling through his texts. "Yami's asking if we're going to show up on the news tomorrow," he said. "What do you think?"

"Maybe as a footnote," Bakura said. He shrugged. "It's not like we robbed the mayor or anything. Oh, hey…"

"No," Ryou said sternly, not looking from his phone.

"Hm." Bakura looked around idly, growing bored. His eyes fell on a house. There were plenty of houses in the neighborhood. But this house - this house was the one calling him. Something about it's windows, or maybe it's structure…

Okay, so he just wanted a little more excitement. Bakura didn't really feel the need to justify what was an entirely random decision to himself, so he approached the house without further preamble. All it's windows were dark, so he was reasonably confident it would be fine to walk in the front door. He picked the lock easily, the door swinging open silently.

Inside, he was disappointed to see a fairly empty - and quite ordinary - house.

He went through the cabinets and drawers, but nothing really worth it. He tried the closet next to the stairs. It swung open to reveal a set of steps. He wandered down into the darkness, running his hand along the wall.

When his foot landed a little too hard, announcing the lack of another step, his hand brushed against a piece of plastic. Bakura flicked the switch, closing his eyes as the lights turned on.

His eyes opened back up to see a figure sitting up, looking around blearily. At first Bakura worried, until he noticed the person's diminutive size.

"Just a kid," Bakura muttered. Deciding not to linger, he darted back up the stairs, and was out the front door in seconds. He came back around the corner of the alley just as Ryou looked up. "What were you doing?" his partner asked, turning off his phone.

"Making sure the coast was clear," Bakura lied easily, grinning.

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Home's the other way, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Bakura said. He raised his eyebrows. "Lead the way, then."


	16. Chapter 16

"I can't believe we're doing this," Bakura muttered.

Ryou elbowed him. "It's just like any other job. Except this one is probably a real job. But we're still not getting paid."

"Yeah, and not getting anything out of it either, I bet."

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Well, at least this one shouldn't cost anything," he said, a sharp reminder of their recent acquirements for break-ins and thefts. He glanced at his phone again. "He'll be here eventually."

"I can't wait," Bakura mumbled.

Instead of responding, Ryou ignored him, sitting straighter to check the doorway to the restaurant. No one was there. He sighed. They hadn't spoken for over a month, so he had been surprised when Yami finally contacted him.

Ryou still remembered their brief conversation, word for word.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Ryou! Good, this is still your number. Listen…"

"Yami?"

"Yeah. I need a favor - are you and Bakura responsible for that break-in a few days ago?"

"Yami, is this you?" Ryou had demanded.

There had been a pause. "Did you say that in another language?"

Ryou sighed then. "What do you want, Yami?"

"Can you meet me at the Fortunate Hare? Thanks."

Yami had referenced the restaurant they always visited as kids together - it was actually called the Lucky Rabbit. Ryou couldn't remember why they called it that anymore. Something about how hares were always ostracized.

Bakura started glaring at his glass of water. "We've been here for an hour already. Why didn't you guys at least set a time to meet?"

"Phone calls can be eavesdropped on," Ryou reminded him. "Better safe than sorry."

"Better to be sorry than synedríasi…" Bakura muttered.

"Stop speaking Greek," Ryou reprimanded. "And sitting? Really? Is that the best you could come up with?"

"Also means meeting. As in, meeting Yami. Do we have to?"

Their argument was interrupted as Yami himself sat down, a frown on his face. Still, he smirked as he caught the tail end of Bakura's words. "Didn't you miss me?" Yami asked.

"No," Bakura said shortly.

Ryou sighed, prepared to play peacemaker. "So I'm guessing you need us?" he asked.

Yami nodded. "Yeah." He proceeded to explain the events of the past few days, describing the circumstances he found Yugi in, as well as how the child was being treated currently. He ended by mentioning that technically, he didn't have any rights to Yugi, so it would be great if they could help him get the boy back.

Bakura looked incredulous. Then he laughed. "Wait, let me get this straight. You, stealing-is-wrong-so-sorry-but-I-can't-help-you-Yami… You want us to kidnap a kid for you? Are you serious?" He shook his head. "You're out of your mind."

"I'll fund the next three jobs you're planning if you do this," Yami said quietly.

For a moment, both Bakura and Ryou stared at him. Then Bakura reached out to shake on it, only to get his hand slapped back by Ryou. "Hey!" Bakura complained.

"Is this that important to you?" Ryou asked seriously.

Yami shook his head. "Yes, he is," he said, "But that's not the end of it. I need you to mess up the place. It can't look like he ran away. It can't look like this was on purpose."

The three sat in silence. Bakura was beginning to grin. Ryou, on the other hand, simply kept a grim expression. It may have been ages since he met his old friend, but he still knew Yami. And he knew Yami tried to uphold his own personal morals and values. He also knew Yami treasured the people close to him, and usually kept his closest secret just that - a secret.

That had been the end of their unbreakable friendship when Ryou found him out. The fact that Yami was being so open with them must mean that something happened between him and his newer friends. He remembered a Jonouchi and an… Anna? Anzu? They'd been mentioned during one of their last conversations.

"Now can I agree?" Bakura asked mockingly.

Ryou sighed. "Yeah. Sure. But, Yami, are you sure about this…?"

"Yugi's probably suffering right now," Yami cut him off. He held out his hand, and Bakura shook it. "Do your best. Here's the address. He's in the basement, through the door next to the stairs." He hesitated, then asked, "Do you need anything?"

At those words, Bakura grinned. "No way. You're funding the next three jobs after this one. We can handle a simple break-in." He read the address written on the small slip of paper quickly before dropping it into his glass of water, turning the letters and numbers into an unreadable smear.

"A little over the top," Yami remarked, watching.

Bakura shrugged. "Better safe than…"

"That's what I kept telling you!" Ryou snapped.

"So what? It sounds better when I say it," Bakura laughed. He stood and made his way out of the restaurant. Meanwhile, Ryou stayed behind and glanced at Yami questioningly.

"Go on ahead. I'm actually hungry," Yami told him.

After a second, Ryou grinned. "I'm starving too," he admitted, grabbing one of the menus. He perused the menu and asked, "So who's buying?"

"I will."

"Alright." Ryou flipped to the beverage section. "No tea. Of course they don't have tea."

"They have green tea ice cream…"

Ryou shot Yami a withering look as he turned to the dessert page. "I thought I taught you better than that," he said. "Tea is hard to find, but usually it's just leaf juice."

"That's all tea," Yami said with a grin.

"How could you say that?" Ryou said, acting outraged, but he smiled too. "I remember the first time we had this argument."

Yami nodded. "I didn't realize how much you loved tea," he said ruefully. "That didn't end well."

"I'm pretty sure a pot of tea ended up being your downfall."

"And detention was yours."

They started laughing.


	17. Chapter 17

"Run, kid."

Yugi jolted awake at the voice, his eyes opening, only to squeeze shut at the unexpected light. The red shining through his eyelids faded as the flashlight was aimed elsewhere.

"Run," the stranger repeated impatiently.

For a small moment, Yugi had a few doubts. This could be a kidnapper. This could be a serial killer. Any number of things that meant bad news for him.

Then a little voice in the back of his head noted that this was also probably his only chance to escape.

With that in mind, Yugi bolted past the intruder, taking the steps two at a time. He burst out of the closet, straight into the arms of another person. Frightened, Yugi tried to dodge the person, only to find the intruder was fairly quick on their feet.

"Wait," the stranger said, grabbing Yugi's arm. "Yami sent us."

Yugi froze, staring at the intruder. Their face was shadowed, the result of the moonlight shining through the door behind them, but they sounded distinctly male. Then the first intruder emerged from the stairway. "We better mess it up," he said. "Who knows how long we have?"

"Right," the one holding Yugi's arm said. He looked down at Yugi. "Go outside. If you remember where Yami's house is, go. If you don't, wait for us - preferably somewhere that's not in the open." He gave Yugi a little push towards the open door before joining the other in the adjoining room.

Yugi didn't have to be told twice. He made for the door, tumbling out onto the street. He didn't know his way back to Yami's. And yet, he was afraid to trust the strangers. He jumped as a loud crash came from within the house.

He hid in an alleyway, watching the house nervously. More destructive noises could be heard, but they were less frequent and considerably muted from the first crash.

Eventually the two stepped out. "Yugi?" the slightly shorter of the two called out, looking around.

Yugi bit his lip as he reluctantly revealed himself.

The teen grinned and hugged Yugi. "Oh, good! You're still here. Quick introductions - I'm Ryou, and this is Bakura."

Bakura scowled. "Come on, we're wasting time."

Ryou sighed. "Yeah. Yugi, we're meeting Yami at the mall. Follow me, okay? Bakura will watch our backs." He gave Yugi a reassuring smile before leading the way.

They made their way quickly through the city; the pair seemed to know their way around well. Yugi didn't know where the mall was, but he recognized it as the one he and Yami had visited previously when they arrived. He was surprised when they didn't use the front entrance, instead walking around the outside of the building.

A car passed by, causing Yugi to jump and press himself against the building. The curb was small, making him eye the road even more warily. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"We're supposed to meet a friend of Yami's out here," Ryou replied, frowning. "Someone named Honda…?"

Unseen by either, Yugi made a face at the familiar name.

"Someone's there," Bakura said suddenly. They paused at the sight of a side door opening, a man poking his head out and glancing around.

"It's Honda," Yugi confirmed, just as he caught sight of them and waved them over.

As they approached, Honda said in a whisper, "Hey guys! Yugi, how's it?"

"I'm tired," Yugi replied honestly.

"We break you out and this is the thanks we get?" Bakura muttered. In response, Ryou cuffed him lightly across the head. "Ow!"

Honda laughed softly at the pair's antics. "Come in," he said, holding the door open. "I'm closing by myself today, so feel free to stay in the back. Stay near the door - the cameras are recording constantly." He grinned as he headed towards the kitchen. "But just visual, so don't worry.

Bakura and Ryou sat down on a metal grid that held sodas. "This is going to take a while," Bakura grumbled.

"One day, maybe, you'll learn patience," Ryou sighed. He glanced at his phone and grimaced. "It probably will, though." He turned to Yugi. "How are you holding up? Yami said that you might be hungry, but unfortunately we don't have any food…"

Yugi shook his head. "No, it's alright. Thanks for saving me."

Bakura looked as if he wanted to say something, but a sharp elbow from Ryou made him settle back, albeit with a glare.

Suddenly Ryou looked at the ceiling. "It's raining," he said with surprise.

The other two listened, hearing what Ryou had - the heavy patter of rain against the roof. "So what?" Bakura said disinterestedly. Then he scowled, sitting back. "Right… we're walking home. Damn."

"Yami isn't giving you guys a ride?" Yugi asked, confused.

Ryou glanced at Bakura. "Yami and I used to be friends," he admitted, "but right now it's kind of… Did he tell you about me?"

Yugi blinked. "No."

Bakura laughed. "I bet. Listen, kid - we're all freaks. You, me, Ryou, and Yami. We're all a bunch of freaks, but a month ago Yami decided to up and reveal that he lied. He'd never told us that he's like us."

"It hurt," Ryou added. "I mean, we texted once in a while, but we never talked about anything important, and we had practically no contact. But then he asked us to rescue you. We're thieves, by the way. Nice to meet you." He flashed a grin.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "I'm the thief, you're just going along with my scheme."

"Are you guys brothers?" Yugi asked curiously.

"Uh…"

"They," a new voice interrupted, "are Ryou Bakura." All three looked up to see Yami standing in the doorway, his mouth pressed in a tight line. He relaxed enough to smile at Yugi. "Come over to my house. I've got a car outside."


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry everything took so long. I just… forgot? That happens. Someone reviewed and reminded me though, so here we go! Hopefully it works out. I'm not having a beta proofread this anymore either, so it's not gonna be as good as before. Yep. But maybe I'll be getting around to it faster for a while.**

* * *

It was so awkward.

Yugi ended up sitting in the back, between Ryou and Bakura, leaving Yami up front to drive. The tension felt thick. Even Bakura just looked out the window, though Yugi caught his eyebrow twitching from time to time. Ryou had his phone in hand, but he didn't seem to be doing anything on it. The news site was on the screen, but the sound was muted.

Yami hadn't even turned the radio on. Yugi thought about asking for some music, but decided against it. In this kind of silence, even the slightest sound was deafening.

The car came to a stop, and they got out in silence. Yami hugged him tightly before going up to the house to unlock it. "He looked really worried about you," Ryou whispered. Yugi looked up to see Ryou smiling down at him. Or, no - he looked grumpy?

Yugi realized that the one talking to him was Bakura. The rain had fell into his eyes, causing him to mistake one for another. He looked forward to see Ryou approaching Yami.

"Come on," Bakura said, moving ahead. Yugi shook his head and followed, feeling off-balance.

It turned out that both Ryou and Bakura were staying over. Something about Yami helping to pay for a few things. "Plus," Yami had said, "There's no point in me giving you another ride. My car is running low on gas." So Yugi found himself helping out to make dinner.

Or rather, tea. Yami had refused to make tea, and Ryou had refused to even think about eating dinner without it. "Where's Bakura?" Yugi asked as he filled up the kettle. Why Yami had a kettle and tea packets was beyond him. He carried it carefully to the stovetop as Ryou shrugged.

"Taking a shower," he replied.

By the sink, Yami scoffed. "Using up all my conditioner, I bet," he grumbled, scrubbing some potatoes. "Yugi, mind preheating the oven?"

"Uh… How?"

Ryou leaned over, pointing at the buttons. "You press Bake, then use the arrows to set the temperature. 350 fine, Yami?" he asked. Yami shook his head and held up four fingers. "Ah. 400. So press the arrow pointing up until it reaches that number." Ryou turned his attention back to the tea packets. "Yami, these are the cheap kind. Got any-?"

"No."

The oven beeped as Yugi pressed Start. "Should I grab the steak?"

Yami put down the potato. "Sure." He came over, opening up the fridge. "Let's see… This one's the oldest, so dunk it in a bowl of water for a bit, 'kay?" He handed Yugi a wrapped piece of red meat, then went over to Ryou. "I don't have the expensive stuff, but I've got some packets from your last visit in the cabinet somewhere. Did you look in the top shelf?"

"Shorty couldn't reach that," Bakura commented. He leaned in the doorway of the kitchen, his hair wrapped in a towel.

Ryou sighed. "I'm only a centimeter shorter than you. And that's because of those damn boots that you wear everywhere." He lifted his arm, feeling around in the top shelf.

Bakura raised his eyebrows. "Who the fuck taught you to swear?"

Yami burst out laughing. Yugi looked at the two of them. "What? What's so funny?" he asked, causing Yami to laugh harder. Bakura didn't reply, leaving Ryou to explain drily, "They're laughing because it's all the rage to swear these days. Don't, alright Yugi? They're terrible examples." He caught hold of the packets in the back and grabbed them.

Yugi nodded solemnly. "I won't," he said, making even Bakura snort. "Sorry," Yami apologized, grinning.

The kettle started whistling. Ryou picked it off the stove and dropped the packets inside. "Have you tried tea before?" he asked Yugi, who shook his head.

"For shame, Yami!"

"In my defense," Yami said, wrapping the potatoes in foil, "Nobody drinks tea anymore." He ducked the towel Ryou threw and added, "Besides, he's only… Uh. Hm. Ten? Eleven? Hey, Yugi, how old are you?"

"Uh… Ten? Eleven?" Yugi thought of something. "Hey, does Ryou know your birth name?"

Yami rolled his eyes. "Nah, I was nine last I had Atem as my name. My stepparents called me Yami as a nickname, and now it's my legal name."

Ryou blinked. "Your name was Atem?"

"Yeah, why?"

In the doorway, Bakura cleared his throat. "We," he said, "have relatives in Egypt. Ma-what's-his-face, Shadi, and some lady that's always nagging for me to help her business. Tarot cards or something. We see them every family gathering, 'cause they come here." He and Ryou glanced at each other.

"That lady is a billionaire," Ryou corrected. "And that tarot card business is more of a hobby."

"That's cool," Yugi murmured. He jumped as the oven beeped. Yami tossed the potatoes in the oven and nodded towards the thawing steak. "That'll take a bit," Yami said, "so let's talk about those jobs. I have your plans -"

"Nuh-uh, there's no way you have them," Bakura interrupted. "You know how hard it was to hide them?"

Yami smirked. "Yes. And I am rich because I work a bunch of different part-time jobs. Easy as it is, try not to play dumb. So they looked pretty cheap, but I'm willing to pay for a few extra goals. That set of silver looked nice, and it'd be possible to lift if you had a replacement. I was thinking…"

"Bad influences!" Ryou said suddenly. He grabbed Yugi. "We're going to do something productive, so go talk in your study or something."

"It's not bad!" Yugi protested.

Yami grimaced. "Fine. Productive better mean cookies or something." He grabbed Bakura's elbow and tugged him backwards, out of sight, leaving Yugi and Ryou alone in the kitchen. They glanced at each other.

"Do you know how to make cookies?" Yugi asked curiously.

"I can bake. Let's look up a recipe. Any preferences?"

The child chewed on his lip, thinking. "Peanut butter…?" he asked hesitantly. "Somebody gave that to me once. I think it was my dad, but that was a while ago."

Ryou squeezed Yugi's shoulder kindly. "Sounds good. And maybe some chocolate chip. Bakura's fond of those, even if he won't admit it. He acts too tough."

"I heard that!" Bakura's voice called out.

They laughed.


	19. Chapter 19

"So there's this much butter in cookies?"

Ryou nodded. "Don't think about it too much," he advised. "The best things in life have no nutrition labels." He dumped half a bag of sugar into the bowl, then squinted at the pile. "Maybe more butter," he muttered, heading for the fridge. Yugi stared at Ryou.

"Um… or we could use this?" Yugi asked hopefully, holding up a measuring cup.

"No. It's more fun this - oh, you're probably right. It's too late, though." Ryou shrugged. "We'll measure out the peanut butter cookies, but it's fine if this one's not perfect. Bakura doesn't have much in the way of taste buds. And Yami's got money to spare, so I'm not concerned about ingredients."

Yugi smiled. "Okay." He glanced at the oven. "I'll grab a baking sheet… Hey, Ryou? What's a baking sheet?"

"It's that large, flat sheet of metal. I'll ask Yami where he keeps that stuff." Ryou put down the butter. "Don't touch anything just yet," he warned before leaving.

Yugi peered out of the room to see Ryou vanish into the study. Bakura and Yami were taking a long time, Yugi reflected as he sat on the floor. The floor was cold. It reminded him of when his mom would let him into the kitchen. Once he enjoyed it, but she'd usually talk to him in a different language and slap him when he couldn't answer.

He started as Ryou returned. "He's got pots and pans beneath the counters next to the sink," he reported. Yugi scrambled to his feet and followed Ryou back inside.

"Why cookies?" Yugi asked, suddenly curious.

Ryou shrugged. "It's cookies or crumpets, and cookies are easier. You should try crumpets sometime, they're brilliant." He peered at the mixture. "Did we add the chocolate chips already?"

"No."

"Alright, let's dump them in now." Ryou proceeded to do just that, and Yugi faithfully stirred until the dough seemed ready. Then they rolled them into miniature balls and plopped them onto the baking sheet. Yugi discovered that raw cookie dough almost tasted better than the actual cookie dough - but Ryou wouldn't let him have too many, on account of the raw egg.

Then they started on the peanut butter cookies. Apparently, the kind Yugi liked - discovered through some searching on the internet - only need three ingredients. They measured out the peanut butter, sugar, and cracked out one egg into the bowl.

Bakura poked his head in. "The cookies ready?"

"Help with the tea," Ryou replied, "and maybe you'll get a bite." He caught the book Bakura threw at his head, looking at the spine. "Arc V? Is this published?"

"No, and I'll thank you to give that back," Yami said, appearing next to Bakura. Ryou tossed it over, and Yami dragged Bakura back into the study.

Yugi frowned. "Isn't the tea ready?"

"Uh… I suppose, but I intended to drink it earlier. In any case, I'm going to warm up the teapot so go ahead and mix the cookie dough." Ryou reached into the cabinets above, rooting around. Yugi ducked underneath and pulled the whisk through the batter.

Ryou ran hot water through the teapot and filled it with tea. "Here," he said, noticing Yugi beginning to struggle with the dough, "Let me help." Those cookies successfully made it into the oven, and Bakura and Yami came out by the time the first batch of chocolate chip was done.

Bakura popped one in his mouth, smearing chocolate all over his hands.

Ryou sighed. "Those," he said, "are to eat with some tea." He batted away Bakura's second attempt to nab a cookie. "I don't know why I bother," he muttered.

"Steak is thawed out," Yami commented. "Yugi, grab one of the larger pans and a bottle of oil, please? Oh, and a spatula. Or - no, not oil, the butter. And the sea salt and black pepper. Maybe the garlic too… and the basil. The crushed basil leaves."

"You have everything," Yugi said.

Bakura groaned. "Oh, don't inflate his ego," the thief said in disgust. "I don't know how he got so much money. He's barely out of high school." He scowled at Yami. "You already have a house, and you expect me to believe that's from part-time jobs? That's a lie."

"Obviously," Yami chuckled, turning on the front burner and pouring oil into the pan. "Remember? I did great in computer class… although editing is definitely a hobby of mine. So try not to throw my books around, would you?"

Yugi helped Ryou pour out the tea as Bakura told Yami where he could shove his books. Yugi didn't hear Yami's reply, because the steak hissed violently as Yami lowered it into the oil. Ryou glared at Yami, though, so it probably wasn't good. The smell was heavenly, though.

"Why eat fast food if you have this?" Yugi asked innocently.

Yami groaned.

"You eat fast food?" Ryou exclaimed. "I leave you for one month and this happens?"

"Jonouchi loves hamburgers," Yami defended himself. "And it's easy. Sometimes I'm on a job with a one hour lunch break, so I can't exactly cook myself a three-course meal." He poked at the steak, eliciting another hiss. "I was friends with them since high school, too. Besides, I'm cooking now."

Ryou rolled his eyes. Bakura snickered. "Ryou won't let us eat junk food," he told Yugi. "It's impressive we find anything to eat."

"There's plenty to eat without eating… that stuff," Ryou huffed. "You have no excuse to be lazy. Is this what you've been feeding Yugi?"

Yugi blinked. "At least he's feeding me!" the boy shouted, startling all of them.

It was silent for a long moment. Yugi seemed to shrink in on himself, but then Bakura laughed loudly. He shook his head. "You do have a voice, then," he said, amused.

Ryou grimaced. "I'm sorry," Ryou said sincerely, "but I don't mean it cruelly. Except, that's going to kill you in a few years…"

"So will cookies," Yami pointed out, lifting the steak to check it's color.

"Yes, but at least they're enjoyable! What's to enjoy about fast food?"

"Tacos are good," Yugi replied.

Ryou's shoulders slumped. "Oh, Yugi. You've been to the dark side…"


	20. Chapter 20

"Ishizu texted," Bakura said.

Yugi looked up, his mouth full of steak. "Hooishishshoo?" he mumbled, chewing. He swallowed and tried again. "Who is Ishizu?"

"Tarot card lady," Bakura replied. "She's with Marik and Ishtar. And… hey, she's telling us to bring our new friends over. Is she crazy?" He turned to Yugi and whispered loudly, "It's all those tarot cards. She thinks she can see the future." He twirled his finger in the air, much to Ryou's annoyance.

Ryou put down his fork. "What he means," Ryou said sternly, "is that she's eccentric."

"Uh-oh."

"What?"

"Shadi's there too. So's - oh crap! The brothers are on their way to pick us up!" Bakura slammed his phone into the ground, breaking it. "She couldn't even give us time to finish dinner? That's bull!"

"Language," Ryou warned.

Bakura glared. "I'll say anything I fucking want to."

"You're not going to be able to finish if you keep that up," Ryou pointed out, digging into his baked potato. Bakura reluctantly sat down, ignoring Yugi and Yami's stares. "Besides, it's a fifteen hour trip at best. They won't be here for a day at least."

"When you say she wants you to bring your friends over," Yami said carefully, "did she mean us?"

"Yep."

"To Egypt?"

"Uh-huh."

Yugi perked up. "I've never been to Egypt. Isn't it hot?"

"You'd never know in Ishizu's mansion," Ryou said drily. "It's got an impressive air-conditioner, so I don't think that'll be an issue. She's got a fantastic kitchen, too. It's just boring if that's all you live with."

Bakura nodded. "Too boring. We went back once, but going again in this lifetime is too soon."

"Are you two brothers?"

Ryou frowned. Bakura grinned widely. "We're soulmates," he confided, earning himself a smack from Ryou. "What? It's true! Or would you rather be called my other half?" Still laughing, he said something to Yami that Yugi couldn't understand. Yami responded in kind, sounding exasperated.

It sounded like the language Yugi's mom spoke sometimes. He stared, and Ryou noticed. "It's Greek," he explained, and Yami looked up.

"Oh, was it?" Yami asked.

Yugi tilted his head. "You really can't tell, can you?" he asked softly.

"Nope," Yami replied. "Unless it's obvious - like, for example, dogs. All they talk about is food and eating, and if there's a whole bunch of them barking, it sounds like a lot of deep voices shouting about food. Which rarely happens with humans, so I've never spoken after hearing dogs." He grimaced. "Imagine if I barked out of nowhere! That'd be embarrassing."

"That'd be fun," Bakura murmured. "Does it work from a recording?"

Yami glared. "Don't you dare."

Yugi glanced at Bakura, then Ryou. "Bakura said… we're all… freaks?" he said hesitantly. "Does that…?"

"We're not the same as you two," Bakura grumbled.

Ryou rolled his eyes. "No, but we're similar," he told Yugi. "Sort of. But it's too easy if I just tell you, right? Besides, it's not very interesting anyway." He took a sip of his tea, which for some reason he still had an entire teapot of. Yugi glanced guiltily at his cup, still full and very cold.

"It's a quarter to twelve," Bakura mentioned. "Does the kid have a bedtime?"

Yami winced. "Not really, but… fifteen hours, you said? We should probably rest up before they arrive." He turned to Yugi. "It seems we're going to Egypt."

"Don't you have to say good-bye?" Yugi asked curiously.

With a sigh, Yami shook his head. "If I end up talking to them again," he muttered, "I'd rather do it over the phone. Far, far away." He looked at his phone. "I'm going to take the next week off. Or should I make it two? Though the online jobs I could probably manage."

"Probably," Ryou agreed, "if it wasn't Ishizu. I think - Yugi, are you… unusual in any way?"

"Can't handle sunlight," Yugi mumbled.

"Yes. I see. In any case, our family is troublesome, so it might not be easy." Ryou grinned. He said something else in Greek, something that made Yami's eyes narrow. Bakura replied in kind, but Yami merely looked between the two of them as if he didn't understand.

He asked something, and Ryou spoke to him readily. Yugi settled back, waiting for them to finish. Yami glanced at him and spoke, but Bakura rolled his eyes. "Say that again in English, the kid doesn't speak Greek," he snapped.

"I can't exactly control it," Yami retorted.

"You ought to be able," Ryou murmured. "It's just a matter of learning. Pass me another potato, Bakura?" He deftly swiped it out of the air as it passed him by. "You should really learn, but I doubt we'd be able to teach you. We're still learning outrselves. Maybe Ishtar?"

"He's still crazy," Bakura reminded him.

Ryou nodded. "Ishizu, then." He glanced at his phone. "Marik says to pack up and get ready to leave. He's threatening us with the Rod."

"Rod?"

"He named his fighter jet after some artifact he found," Bakura said dismissively. "Doesn't that thing have the power to level a city or two?"

Ryou corrected him, "No, it was a country, remember?"

"A c-country?" Yugi stammered.

Ryou glanced at him and smiled. "No, we're just joking. Pack up and get some rest, alright? We're leaving tomorrow." Bakura raised his eyebrows but said nothing. It seemed a bit quick, but Yugi had to admit he wasn't leaving anything behind… although for some reason, he felt a bit of dread.

"Is there a reason," he asked, "That we're going?"

Ryou and Bakura looked at each other, then shrugged. "Ishizu," they said in unison.


	21. Flashback III

**I love it when people figure stuff out on their own! Or try and guess - it makes it fun for me to read. I'll admit they also provide inspiration… So here's another flashback. Just some more backstory/explanation on the relationships between Ryou/Bakura/Yami. I'm bad with timelines, so let me know if there's any mistakes. Plus, I'm still working on the whole plot thing (because winging things is my life goal) feel free to put in your two cents.**

* * *

"You can't! You have to stop."

Two boys - exactly the same, from their long white manes to their pale skin - stood across from each other in the alley. One's face was distorted by a sneer, while the other had an expression of stern anger.

"Ryou," the former snickered, "I can do whatever I want. Whenever I want."

Ryou glared, crossing his arms. "Yes, you can. But at the same time, you _can't_." He stepped forward, somehow seeming small compared to the other despite the fact that they were the same height. "You can't take whatever you want just because you want it. There are laws! And besides, if you run yourself out of everywhere, eventually you're going to run out of hiding places."

The boy snickered again. " _I'm_ not the one that's going to get caught."

A siren wailed somewhere in the city, making Ryou jump. His heart pounded as he glanced at the street, reassuring himself that he was safe. No one looked in their direction, though he couldn't help but press back against the wall anyway.

"No," the other continued. "You're the one that's going to take the fall. Like always."

A car sped past, it's headlights shining into Ryou's eyes for a moment. It reflected off the glass walls across from him, searing the image of the boy from sight briefly. Then it was dark again.

The boy was smiling. "You poor thing," he said mockingly.

Ryou lunged forward, slamming his fist into the glass. It shattered, cutting into his skin. Breathing hard, he took in the details of the interior - a restaurant, with clean counters and chairs stacked on tables - before registering the camera. He ducked away, feeling his hand begin to sting.

"I'm so screwed," he muttered, inspecting his hand for pieces of glass. It didn't look like there was anything, but how would he know? He tucked it into the sleeve of his sweater, the blood immediately beginning to soak through the blue fabric.

No one even glanced at him as he joined the crowds, too intent on meeting their friends or getting to work or maybe even heading home.

He didn't want to go home, but where else could he -

His phone rang. He checked the caller, then answered. "Hey Yami."

"Hey…" His friend's voice was hesitant, and he knew what he was going to say before he even said it. "Um, there was something on the news earlier about a robbery… and I just wanted to let you know?"

"It wasn't me."

"It kind of didn't look like you, but everyone's saying it is."

"Everyone?"

"On social media."

Right. He'd forgotten about that. He didn't have any social media himself, but Yami kept up with most of their classmates. Surprisingly, middle schoolers had a lot to talk about. Although next year they'd be high schoolers. He almost hung up. Instead, he asked, "What do you mean, it didn't look like me?"

"Erm, the face was different. Or maybe the eyes? It was really subtle though. I hang out with you all the time, and even I can't be sure."

Ryou closed his eyes. "Yami…"

"Wait! Let's meet up, alright?"

He'd started to work up a good-bye, so Ryou had to come to a full stop to process Yami's words. "Meet up?"

"Can you meet me at the Fortunate Hare? Three minutes! You better be there." The call ended, leaving Ryou to stare at his phone dumbfounded. He'd planned to run away (although he didn't have the faintest idea how - being a runaway had never been something he'd seriously considered before) but he had to admit he'd prefer to see his friend's face first.

With that in mind, he made his way to the Lucky Rabbit, keeping his head down and his hood up. Although his hair kept slipping out, which was really annoying.

Especially since he had a feeling his hair was his most identafiable feature at the moment.

"There you are," Yami said as Ryou sat down. He looked worried, which Ryou appreciated. Better than looking suspicious or anything. Of course, then his friend's next question was, "Do you have a twin or something?"

The truth usually meant suggestions to visit a therapist. Ryou opened his mouth to lie, but Yami reached forward, his eyes somehow understanding. "I promise I'll believe you," Yami told him. "No matter what you say, I'll believe you. I know that person wasn't you."

And so Ryou told him the truth.

Yami gave him a prepaid phone and promised to text, along with a heaping pile of money that was stuffed into a small backpack, along with some other things. "Where'd you get this from?" Ryou asked, but Yami only shook his head.

"Do you have any relatives?" he asked instead.

Ryou nodded. "Some in Egypt… I think my cousin is like me. They'll believe me. I think they can even help me control it." He grimaced. "I wish you could come with me."

Something flickered in Yami's eyes. He grinned. "I don't feel like going, thanks. At least we can talk to each other." Tourists came by, looking lost but not speaking a word of English. Yami went over to help, and Ryou watched him admiringly. When he returned Ryou mentioned, "You've always been good with people."

"Yeah. Anyway, you'd better go. Someone's bound to start looking for you."

"See you later."

"See you."

Ryou resolutely ignored the snicker in his ear as he shouldered his pack and left, not noticing Yami watching him longingly. Once Ryou left, Yami ordered some food and ate just to have an excuse to be there.

"Here's to my last night of freedom," he muttered, thinking of his parents. That morning he'd been found out by his parents, though he was pretty sure they'd suspected something for a while. Too bad they liked foreign films - it's like the world was deadset on them discovering his disease.

Of course, the next morning he woke to his mom dragging him to the car, driving him to the hospital. "Doctor," she'd said, and he'd forever remember the words that followed, "Can you please look at my son?"

Originally they'd attributed it to his brain quickly adapting to languages, but soon his capacity for understanding any language went from astounding to being something unusual and wrong, something to be fixed. They'd tried and tried, but in the end there was nothing wrong with him, was there?

Though they wanted to study him, his parents refused. He'd seen their disappointment, and had moved out as soon as he could. He was good with money, good at picking up jobs and keeping them.

Three weeks into living on his own, he'd talked to Ryou on the phone, telling him about moving into a new house. His friend had been comforting - minus Bakura's remarks - but asked why he'd moved out so soon. After a few minutes of questiongs, Yami confessed.

"Ryou, there's something I have to tell you."

Ryou Bakura hadn't been happy to hear what he'd had to say. In fact, while Ryou wanted to be understanding, Bakura was furious. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you let me believe I was on my own?"

"You had _them_ , didn't you? Maybe I just wanted to be normal!"

"Are you saying I'm a freak, then?"

"What do you think?"

"That makes you a freak too!"

"Exactly! I don't want to be a freak you know! I didn't ask for this!"

Ryou went quiet for a long time, then said, "By the way, I learned to speak Greek recently. So I believe you."

"What?"

"You didn't even notice." Ryou laughed darkly. "Whatever. Hey, guess what? Ishizu says the apocolypse is coming. So there's that. I think she's crazy, but do you even care?" He hung up abruptly.

No matter what Yami tried, Ryou wouldn't pick up the phone.

He was honestly surprised that, a month later, the guy actually answered. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Ryou! Good, this is still your number. Listen…"

"Yami?"

"Yeah." In that word was a load of apologies and desperate pleas. "I need a favor." Yami winced even as he said that - but it wasn't his fault Ryou wouldn't pick up, right? He forged ahead anyway, "Are you and Bakura responsible for that break-in? A few days ago?"

"Yami, is this you?"

Yami had paused, confused. Hadn't he said yes? Then he remembered. "Did you say that in another language?"

A sigh, long and resigned. "What do you want Yami?"

Despite the situation, Yami smiled, relief sweeping through his chest. Ryou forgave him. He knew Yami well enough to know he wouldn't ask for something lightly, and even if he was still mad, he was willing to listen. At least there was one person on his side. One person who wasn't about to condemn him, if only because he was too good of a person to do so. "Can you meet me at the Fortunate Hare?"

Yami paused again, remembering the last time he'd said that. There had to be something he could say. Something to fix it. Then he shook his head, knowing full well Ryou couldn't see him. "Thanks."

Yugi was counting on him. He was going to face _all_ his demons if it meant getting that child back.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hahaha I have no idea what I'm doing (help me). So uh, we're getting an actual plot here… and I actually wasn't expecting that, so hopefully I can sneak in some domestic scenes along the way. I love it when they cook with each other. I want to sneak in Ishizu cooking somewhere. Oh, also they have no staff or anything. Ishizu makes her guests (i.e. Marik and Ishtar and all those guys) clean. And, uh, if you've watched any of the movies, I'm referencing the actual god Anubis, not the muscle-bound wackjob that had a glass pyramid card thing.**

* * *

"Hello, little devil," was Ishizu's greeting when she let them in.

A butler! And they'd arrived in a limo. Honestly, it had been so different that Yugi had thought he was dreaming. So when Ishizu had called him the name used by his mother, it had seemed like a dream turned nightmare. Then Ryou snapped, "Ishizu! That's rude!"

The woman merely shrugged, her face calm and serene. "My apologies, then. What's your name?"

"Yugi," Yugi replied, uneasy.

"She's a little crazy," Bakura muttered, leading the way into the mansion. The woman disappeared up the stairs without so much as a nod to her cousins. "Don't mind her. She said the same shit about Ryou and I when we first arrived. She has to make her way to being civil."

Yami whistled as they entered a room better suited to balls then eating, made obvious by the table in the middle with place setters. "She's loaded," he commented, glancing at the chandelier.

"So were we!" Ryou said, looking wounded.

"Well, yeah, but you didn't exactly earn it, did you?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "And you did?"

"At least I'm subtle," Yami retorted.

"So is Ishizu," Ryou informed him. "And besides, the brothers are literally living in her basement. You have to admit, at least we're interesting."

Bakura snorted. "Plus, they ditched us at the airport. Said they had a job."

"Lucky Ishizu knew already," Yugi said.

"Last-minute, I bet," Bakura grumbled. "They're just that predictable." He led them through a narrow hall into a room, the walls lined with shelves upon shelves of what looked like antiques - albeit very, very expensive antiques.

Yami made a beeline for a black dog, his eyes glimmering with interest. "Isn't this Anubis?" he asked, admiring the sculpture. Gold inlaid designs decorated the surface.

Ryou came over. "I think so. Could be a hundred things, really." He pointed to a yellow dragon, it's sharp maw open as if to spew flames. "This was found in a temple dedicated to Ra, for example, but dragons aren't really a part of Egyptian culture. Though some thought it might be a rendering of Apophis."

"When's the last time you saw a snake with wings?" Yami pointed out. "Besides, wasn't Apophis red?"

Bakura snickered. "I bet it was just left there by someone wanting a good laugh."

"The dating goes back to Ancient Egyptian times!" Ryou defended.

Yugi glanced around. There were more figures than anything else, he noticed. One figure, of a person swathed in dark, armor-like clothing and holding a staff caught his eye. He leaned in to see two determined eyes set into the figure's face, seeming to stare straight at him. Along the edge of the base were the words, "The Dark Magician".

He grinned. It matched the figure's theme well. One of the others raised their voice, making him jump, but he glanced back to see them all still in good humor.

Next to the Dark Magician were two other figures, both female and similarly dressed. The younger was a "Dark Magician Girl" and the other, "Magician's Valkyria". Yugi reached out curiously, poking the Dark Magician's staff. To his shock, it glowed brightly, blinding him.

"Yami!" he cried, turning. Only everything was black - he couldn't even see his hands in front of him. "Yami? Ryou? Bakura!" He stumbled forward, the darkness pressing against his eyes.

"Atem!"

Suddenly someone was helping him up. He looked up to thank the person, but the words died in his throat. This person had Yami's features, only with a confidence he'd never seen in anyone before. His style of dress made Yugi think of emperors… or maybe pharaohs.

He hesitated. "Atem?" he asked, his voice small.

The person smiled warmly, his eyes older than the desert. Chains made of gold wrapped around his arms, his ankles, and his neck, clinking as he moved. "Don't be afraid," he told Yugi.

Then the world exploded into light.

It burned.

He heard someone screaming, but could only focus on the intense pain that was burning him alive. It went on and on and on, and he didn't know how to make it stop. Someone put out the fire!

There was only white and red and yellow. The mere flashes of pain he'd felt before were nothing compared to this. The sun was going to kill him - no, it was in him, and nothing could put it out. He couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. It coursed through his veins, a steady pulse of lava.

It took him a bit to realize he was the one screaming.

It took him even longer to realize that he was in a bed. The fire didn't fade, but he managed to feel something other than the burning in his skin. He could feel soft sheet over his body and the mattress beneath him, though it may as well have been a stone slab for all the comfort it offered him.

Water - hot or cold, he couldn't tell - gathered at the corners of his eyes, spilling over his cheeks. With a gasp, he pried his eyes open to see a dark room, the windows covered by drapes. Had the ones in the artifact room flown open somehow? That would explain the pain…

Though when he managed to get a glimpse of himself, his skin looked untouched. Just fine.

It galled him to think that he'd done all that screaming and he didn't look one bit burned.

"I'd forgotten to say that the artifacts are cursed."

Yugi turned his head to see Ryou - or maybe Bakura, they looked so alike - sitting across the room, arms crossed and face somewhere between chagrined and bored. "Ishizu says it's harmless. Just causes pain, but nothing that'll last. Yami will be in soon, alright?"

"Where's Yami?" Yugi asked, his voice hoarse.

"No idea. He freaked out when it happened. Said something about making sure the drapes are closed in every room." Bakura - he was almost sure that was who he was talking to - made a face. "Ishizu would've made sure of it, since you have a severe sensitivity to sunlight, but hey. Gives him something to do. Would've gone crazy just sitting around, thinking you're dead."

"I'm not dead!" Yugi yelped.

"That's what I said! It's fine, though. Yami is just relieving some stress." Bakura chuckled. "He's always been like that."


	23. Chapter 23

**Wow, I originally intended this to be a normal story for Yami and Yugi to just bond but it's turning into something else. I hope you're still enjoying it anyway. I can't see an end in sight… Gods, but don't worry, more characters will arrive. Eventually. Also I don't know why I threw Marik and Ishtar in there when I barely remember what they're like, so they're not gonna pop up much more than they already did. And don't think I forgot about the guys back where Yami used to live! (I did, but that's beside the point.) They'll be pop in later. From a distance. Over the phone. So not much, but some.**

* * *

The moment Yami came in, Yugi said what had been on his mind all day. "Something's starting."

Yami looked up. "What?"

"There's something here. Ishizu - I think she's more than she seems. Ryou and Bakura, she wanted them here too, right? And those brothers she sent to us… Marik and Ishtar, they reminded me of Ryou and Bakura." Yugi chewed on his lip, then admitted, "Yami, I'm scared."

Sorrow passed over Yami's face, so deep and acute that for a moment Yugi wanted to take back his words. Then Yami sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. He pulled Yugi into a hug, supporting him and squeezing him so tightly he had to fight back a wince.

"I'm so sorry," Yami murmured.

"It's not your fault," Yugi said, surprised.

Yami shook his head, loosening his grip but not letting go. "I feel like it is," he said. Then he held Yugi at an arm's length. "I'm going to protect you, alright?" he said fiercely. "No matter what, I'll keep you safe."

They both jumped when the silence was interrupted by clapping. Bakura leaned against the wall, bringing his hands together slowly. "Great, we're all buddies and friends," he said sarcastically. "Ishizu wants us to make dinner. Yugi should be fine - it's been a whole day already - so hurry the -"

Ryou clapped a hand over his mouth, his face flushed. "Sorry! He was actually really worried," he said sheepishly, shoving Bakura out of the room. "We'll leave now. Yugi, I hope you're feeling better! If not, feel free to stay in bed. Bakura's just being grumpy." He left, closing the door behind him.

Yugi and Yami glanced at each other. "Are you feeling well enough to help out?" Yami asked.

Yugi nodded. "I think so." He moved gingerly, but only felt a little stiff. They explored the halls, somehow finding the kitchen within an hour. The smells of cheese and garlic wafted through the doorway.

"What's for dinner?" Yami asked.

Ryou looked up from where he stood. "Flatbread stuffed with cheese and tomatoes and garlic," he answered, holding up two hands sticky with dough. "Bakura's baking the garlic right now, to get it soft."

"Looks more like he's gone," Yami observed.

"He'll be back when the oven beeps. Mind preparing the egg wash?"

Yami nodded. He grabbed an egg and put a cup beneath the faucet. "Yugi, find us some tomatoes, please," he said, using a fork to mix the two together.

He meant from the fridge, of course. Yugi stared at the hulking monstrosity for a few seconds before grabbing the door and pulling it open. It was less of a fridge and more of a walk-in, the kind he'd seen in the back of the store Honda worked in. The blast of cold air felt good, surprisingly, so he entered a little more confidently.

Everything was labeled, but that didn't mean they were easy to find. Really, after the twentieth or so cardboard box he started skimming the words, and had needed to backtrack after passing the produce section entirely.

Once he found them, he poked his head out of the walk-in. "Hey, how many tomatoes?"

"Two should be good," Yami called back. Yugi was alarmed to see a good amount of smoke (or possibly steam) billowing from the oven and hastily retreated into the cold.

"Two tomatoes," he repeated to himself. He grabbed two good-sized ones, hoping they didn't have to be a specific color. Thankfully, when he emerged the second time, there was no smoke. He set the tomatoes on the counter, where they were promptly swept up by Bakura.

He started cutting them, leaving Yugi standing there without a job.

That meant he was the only one to notice when Ishizu walked in, her dark eyes glittering as she walked swiftly towards Bakura. The latter was laughing, saying something Ryou and gesturing wildly. Yugi watched as he knocked a glass from the counter.

Ishizu swiftly caught it, setting it back down out of Bakura's reach. "Please don't break my things."

"Oh, tarots, there you are," Bakura said, scowling.

Her smile sharpened. "I've told you before, that's just a facade. Something to make my work palatable." She glanced at Yugi. "I hear you came to harm earlier. My apologies for not showing you around, but it was… necessary." Ishizu rolled up her sleeves, briskly taking charge of the dough. "Thank you for helping with dinner."

"No problem," Yami stammered as she took his bowl of egg wash, coating it over half of each of the rectangles she'd formed within the second. Bakura plopped garlic onto the ones she'd finished, spreading it evenly.

"She can see the future," Ryou whispered, grinning. "Makes it so that not a lot of things are broken."

"Nothing happens by chance," Ishizu said clearly, though her back was turned to them.

Ryou shrugged. "Sees a lot of things she shouldn't," he added, bringing the bowl of tomatoes over. In a few minutes the flatbreads were in the oven, with the five of them seated at the table to wait. Ishizu's hands were folded before her, and she seemed to be thinking. Even Bakura waited, though Yugi noticed he didn't appear to be paying attention at all.

Finally Ishizu stirred. To Yugi's discomfort, her eyes turned to him. They were dark eyes that seemed to be filled with shadows, and it unnerved him.

"Our family," she began, addressing them all, "Is a powerful one. Some received this power as part of fate's plan - others inherited it as a side effect of being born with the blood of the pharaohs. My brother is one such person."

She sighed. "Atem. You are a branch of my family. Very, very diluted, true - but your ancestors were related to mine. In turn, they were related to Yugi's. And the four of you have a history beyond the lives you've lived already." She glanced at Yugi. "You've met Atem from the time when he was a pharaoh, correct? Just earlier, in the artifact room?"

Yugi stared. Ryou started, then glared at Ishizu. "You let that happen on purpose!" he exclaimed, sounding shocked and betrayed. "You promised to keep them safe!"

"It's safer for Yugi to know what you'll be looking for," Ishizu replied, unperturbed. "It did him no lasting harm."

Yami shook his head, but Bakura merely rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright," he said, sounding a tad irritated but overall resigned. "Just tell us what to do, tarots. Don't be so dramatic."

"Fine. You'll be traveling to the Shadow World. And from there, you're going to fight a demon." Ishizu smiled. "One such as Yugi. Though you might find it an insult, you truly are a little devil, child. You're going to be thankful for that soon. In the meantime, would you like to take a look at your allies before or after dinner?"

They sat for a while, staring at her. The woman just smiled, waiting patiently. The smells from the kitchen wafted through the room, and Yugi's stomach growled.

Yugi hesitantly said, "After dinner? I think?"

"Sounds good!" Bakura abruptly said, his voice loud in the quiet. "I'm starving." He stood up. "I'll get the food," he said, leaving. Ryou followed him, leaving Yami and Yugi alone with Ishizu.

"I am sorry," Ishizu said to Yami. "I would never let him suffer unnecessarily."

Yami nodded curtly, but he did hear what she didn't say - that if need be, she would have all of them suffer for this 'fate' she claimed to see. He reached out and squeezed Yugi's hand, staring hard at Ishizu. "I don't know you," he said, his voice hard. Yugi glanced at Yami in surprise, but Yami continued, "I don't trust you. So if he's ever put in danger like that again, I swear to every god I know that I'm leaving this place and taking him with me."

"Yami, wait…" Yugi tried, because surely they were here for a reason, right? He wanted to help, but Yami shook his head at Yugi. Instead, Ishizu spoke.

"I understand."

Yami eyed her suspiciously. "Alright then."


	24. Flashback IV

**Okay, I'll admit, I prefer having Mokuba and Seto together a LOT more than I like having Kisara and Seto together. I just need this to happen for now, but don't get too attached to Kisara. Also, I know I've been having a couple flashbacks close together, but don't worry, it should be staying in the 'present' more often from now on.**

* * *

"Kisara!" he cried, his voice torn away by the wind. Sand filled his mouth, forcing him to stop and spit, feeling his lungs dry with every breath. "Kisara!"

Her figure materialized from the darkness of the sandstorm, stumbling as she fought her way to his side. He clutched her to his side as he scanned the landscape. Nothing but flat, unrelenting plain for as far as he could see. Though with the sand whiplashing inches from his nose, he couldn't actually see that far.

The girl at his side shivered, and he glanced down. Her pale hand flashed out of the rags, making the sign for _ditch_. Then she pointed in the direction she'd vanished.

"I hear you," he said, determinedly dragging the both of them in that direction. Every step they had to fight the wind, slithering down the treacherous sand. The ditch was shallow, but was better than nothing. Especially when they lay down. He slung one arm over Kisara's shoulders, trying to shelter her a bit more.

The sandstorm howled, depositing sand over them, burying them. This could be how they die. Then again, they'd weathered sandstorms before. Just not when they had so little. He wanted to disperse the storm. Once, he could have done so with a flick of his hand, but not anymore. Not when the source of his power was pitifully shaking against him, her body weak and withered.

Kisara shivered, and stuck her hand in his face, making the sign for _tired_. Regretfully he pulled out the stone tablet, watching her body vanish into the etched figure of a dragon.

It was easier for him to not have to worry about another being, but he preferred to know exactly how she was doing. Still, he couldn't force her to stay corporeal all the time, especially when she was in such bad shape. He tucked the tablet beneath his belt and pressed himself lower, breathing shallowly through the cloth over his mouth.

In a few hours, the storm abated.

Which meant he spent some time digging himself out of the sand. He done his best to keep from being completely buried, but even if he'd stood and jumped up down the entire time, the sand would have piled high enough to cover his head. It would have also been a waste of energy. He still had a ways to go, never mind he didn't have a clear idea of where he was going in the first place.

He unstopped the flask at his hip, swishing the water inside experimentally. Half the container was left, so he sipped a small amount, spat out the sand in his mouth, then swallowed a small amount before stopping it again. "That damned woman," he muttered, studying his surroundings. It was night, but the moon illuminated the sand dunes just fine.

"Follow the constellation, she said. I can barely see it," he grumbled, finally catching sight of the three stars in the shape of a triangle. One was very dim, one glowed disproportionately bright, and the third was tinged with blue.

He struggled to keep moving forward, but then fell back to the sand, sitting down with a sigh.

The words the woman had told him were, "Follow the three stars to the tomb. You'll find refuge there." He could see a shadow of _something_ in the distance, but it could easily be a hill or just his imagination. Chances of finding a tomb before he died were low - and even if he found it, there was still the question of water and food.

He groaned. "Kisara… Blue Eyes White Dragon. I need you," he whispered. The stone tablet on his hip glowed, and what emerged was no woman but instead a magnificent creature of white scales and icy blue eyes.

"I regret this," he said apologetically. The dragon did not react to his words. "I can not die. Not yet."

Still the dragon stood there motionlessly, so he pulled himself into the nook between where the neck and the wings met. As the Blue Eyes rose into the air, he leaned forward, feeling the dragon's muscles push powerfully against the still air. They reached the shadow by a little after midnight, which turned out to be the ruins of a temple. Hopefully a tomb.

He returned the dragon to the tablet and, after some exploring, discovered a set of stairs leading into the darkness. He managed a weak light spell that summoned a glow to hover a few feet in front of him. It sputtered, but held.

Dissatisfied, he frowned at his spell before descending the stairs. Carvings covered the walls on either side, of people he didn't recognize. Though it was hard to capture any identifying detail in carvings, he still noticed that the people depicted were the same ones, section after section. He lingered at an image of two people, one smaller than the other but otherwise exactly the same, sitting at a table with another set of similar people and a woman.

The woman looked like the one who'd given him advice. He moved on, seeing glyphs he knew from his time spent working magic and others whose meanings were a mystery to him. In some places there were runes, speaking of how this tomb was dedicated to a pharaoh who'd driven back the shadow… though many were worn or broken to the point of illegibility.

He found himself in a vast area, the walls lined with bricks. It extended upwards and outwards in levels, with stairs and walkways spiraling around the edges. His footsteps echoed as he chose an entrance at random, pushing the curtain out of the way as he entered.

To his shock, there was a table lined with food. He lifted one pitcher to discover it full of clear, cold water.

It was impossible. The floor outside had been thick with the dirt and dust of centuries, yet steam rose from one of the containers when he tilted the lid. He scanned the room, but it was square and unadorned, leaving it plain that there were no nooks or crannies anyone could be hiding in.

Kisara emerged and began to devour the food. He did the same. Neither of them had eaten for a few days, and they'd been extremely careful with their water.

 _Grateful_ , Kisara signed. _Who?_

He shook his head. He didn't know. She shrugged and returned to eating and drinking. They had to start slowly, but neither of them could quite manage to regulate the amount they ate. He would regret it later while she would turn it into energy once she retired back into the tablet. He'd have to hold her there more often than he'd like. He didn't have the luxury of keeping her by his side anymore.

She caught the thread of his thoughts. Smiling warmly, she made a few signs in between bite. _Grateful, don't worry, safe,_ she signed. Kisara sipped some more water before stretching, then vanished into the stone tablet.

"Hello."

He almost choked on his food as he whirled to see the same woman from before standing behind him. He was on his feet, though what he could do he wasn't sure. She didn't react to his defensive posture though, instead gesturing to the food. "Sit. I would talk with you, and you now owe me your life, her life, and the life of your younger one. That is quite a debt."

He reluctantly sat, and she situated herself in a chair across from him. "I need you here," she said. "You will stay here, and you will live. I will care for the child you left behind, and ensure that he remembers you. In return, you will wait."

"For what?"

"Travelers will arrive." She smiled, more in sympathy than to comfort. "I admit I am not sure when they will arrive. So I ask of you this - in all your lives, will you keep watch?"

He found that he didn't doubt her ability to make that happen. She could make this possible. Even after he died, he would be reborn for the sole purpose of remaining in the tomb he sat in. "You ask much," he said quietly. He was indignant, but hardly in the position to be so. "If I say no?"

"Then I will do no more for you," she replied. "I will not take back my gifts, of course. However, I will abandon you and search for another who can do this for me."

It didn't surprise him. He thought of his little brother, and of the food that had so mysteriously appeared. To refuse would basically doom him and his kin. With no small amount of anger - at the world for forcing him into this, and at the woman in front of him - did he say, "I will do this, then."

"Thank you." She looked relieved. "When they arrive, I will be there as well." She disappeared, though by then he'd gotten used to this woman's apparently endless powers. Instead he stared down at the food before him, beginning to feel his stomach protest at the food he'd already eaten.

The thought of what he'd just agreed to didn't help either.


	25. Chapter 25

**Remember what I said about the story staying in the present? I feel like that might end up being a lie. Because there's a** _ **lot**_ **I need to explain about what Seto's been through, and his history and all that. And I have to say, flashbacks are easier than trying to explain it in the 'present' story.**

* * *

"So… who's going first?" Ryou said finally.

Bakura crossed his arms. "Not me!" he stated. "After seeing the kid writhe for _hours_ after touching an artifact," Yugi winced at the reminder, "I'm not even looking at them 'til one of you tries it out."

Yami sighed. "I'll go." He ran his gaze over the figurines, innocent in the shaded light of the room. "Ishizu said we take those that call to us, right?" Ryou agreed, and Yami sighed. "Okay. I'll take this one…" He grabbed an elfin woman kneeling, her hands pressed together in prayer. They held their breath, but nothing happened. Yami visibly relaxed as he grabbed an elfin man, dressed in armor and holding a sword, as well as several others.

He picked up several others, but when Yami reached for the Dark Magician Yugi's hand shot out, snatching it away. "I - I want this one," he stuttered, a little taken aback by his own reflexes.

Bakura merely snorted, then raised his eyebrows as Ryou grabbed an angel, half painted in pale, bright colors and half painted dark. Or at least, it might've been an angel. One of the wings resembled a demon's. "What? I like it," Ryou said defensively.

"It's no army," Bakura commented.

Yugi craned his neck to see the inscription. "Change of Heart" was what it was called, and Yugi couldn't help but think that it was fitting. He grinned. "Your turn, Bakura!" he said cheerfully, but Bakura only shook his head. "Ryou's grabbing a few more," he said sternly. "Those we'll share."

Ryou shrugged and grabbed several more. Among them was a man with one hand up, the inscription reading "Messenger of Peace," and a particularly beautiful sculpture depicting two violent tornadoes twining around each other called "Twin Twisters".

Yugi couldn't help smiling. A commander and a spellcaster. Ishizu might've been right after all. This was fate. "I'm so happy we'll be fighting together, Atem!" he said cheerfully. He glanced down at the Dark Magician and sighed. "These are so pretty, but incredibly inconvenient. Let's go get the seals."

He hurried out of the room, unaware of the curious looks the others were sending him. In fact, the mansion was so large that by the time he ran into Ishizu, he'd forgotten what he was going to do. It was taken out of his hands when Ishizu led him and the other three into a room where she switched out their artifacts for thin cards made out of some inflexible material. Not metal, but close. Yugi privately thought that, with the way they looked, the cards might've been made out of some sort of jewel or stone.

Yami just glanced at them before tucking them carelessly in his back pocket. Ryou handled them with more care, slipping them into a small pouch Yugi hadn't even noticed was hanging off his belt. Yugi didn't have anywhere else to put it, so he put it in his pocket.

Ishizu sighed. "I suppose you'll all be off soon. Rest well." She turned and left.

Bakura snorted. "That's just like her. No directions, no advice." He threw his hands up into the air. "I'm going to bed." Ryou waved as he followed Bakura, who stalked out of the room.

Yugi discovered that he shared a room with Yami, which was unexpected considering their room was the one he'd woken up in earlier. He'd been so out of it he hadn't even noticed the other bed. Yami just gave him a quick hug and went to sleep, but Yugi stayed up for an hour or so, staring at the card of the Dark Magician.

It was cool, smooth, and unbelievably hard. He ran his thumb over the engravings, then tucked it beneath his pillow and fell asleep. He was surprised when he started dreaming - and even more surprised when he saw three figures in the murky dark ahead of him. Three _very_ large figures, but when their silhouettes become solid and defined, he relaxed. He knew these gods. "Slifer, Obelisk, Ra! What are you doing here?"

They shifted and wrapped around him, speaking not in words but in intent. The Sky Dragon was nervous, or - perhaps expectant? While the Winged Dragon had strong animosity that was growing, but not towards him. Obelisk's feelings were hard to glimpse, as usual, but Yugi finally felt it - fear.

Then he opened his eyes a second time to see his friends piled on a cold, stone floor. "Yami?!" he said in a panic, crouching down beside his brother. The title startled him for a second as he instinctively thought that, but it was right, surely.

Thankfully all three of them were breathing, and stirred soon after Yugi started moving.

"Where are we?" Ryou asked aloud, but none of them knew.

"That damned woman!" Bakura snarled, looking around. "What happened?" Again, no one answered, because none of them knew the answer to _that_ question either.

Yami studied the room they were in. "There's a doorway," he said finally, pointing. In the dark it was hard to make out, but finally Yugi could see the dim outline of a curtain. He ducked forward, poking his head out of the doorway to gasp. Their room was one of thousands in a cavern, the doors following a walkway lined with candles. It all reminded Yugi of what the inside of a pyramid might look like (he'd never been in one) only upside-down.

The others joined him, in the same awed silence. They'd stood there for a bit before a voice called out something.

As one, their eyes snapped down to see a young man standing at the very bottom. He was dressed in what looked like rags, but they were clean and white. His brown hair was long, cut straight at the shoulders. He said something else, his tone demanding.

"Uh. We, uh," Ryou stammered, and Bakura cut in, "Ishizu sent us here. Do you know her?"

At that, the man's shoulders fell. He muttered something, and they caught Ishizu's name somewhere in the mess. Yami glanced at them, then said something to the man. The man replied back, then they walked down to where the man stood so that the two of them didn't have to yell themselves hoarse.

The man's name turned out to be Seto Kaiba, and Ishizu had told him to wait for them and be their guide. Also, according the man, they were in Ancient Egypt - which explained why no one but Yami understood a word he said.

Although… there was something else the man said, something about Egypt was no longer there. Or it had been… devoured? The wording was enough for the others to begin Yami's gift was somehow on the fritz, but he swore that was what Seto was saying. Then he mentioned that Egypt had been transformed into some sort of Shadow Land, and they all sighed in unison.

It sounded similar to Shadow World - and wasn't that something Ishizu had mentioned?

Then the man made a gesture, and suddenly he started speaking English. "I cast a spell," he said, "So that we may understand each other. Your friend says Ishizu sent you. I owe her… much." He didn't sound very happy about it. "I will not fight, but I will guide. Where are you going?"

"No idea," Bakura practically growled. "Tarots didn't say a freaking thing."

Seto looked confused. "My magic must not be working properly. What did you say just now?"

"Just complaining," Ryou interrupted. He looked upwards, squinting. "If it's a, uh, shadowed out there, then why is there light coming from the ceiling? It's fairly bright, too."

"Oh, I have perfected my illumination spell over the last few generations," Seto said dismissively. "It now uses shadow magic as a source, drawing from outside energies rather than drawing from the caster. It is an entirely independent spell now. I could die right now and it would continue. It has happened before."

It was gibberish to Yugi, and a quick glance at the others affirmed that they felt the same. Seto didn't notice or didn't care, instead crossing his arms and looking them up and down. "There is food," he said after a lengthy silence.

Yugi perked up. "Food?" Technically he'd just woken up, so technically this would be breakfast. Which meant it was perfectly natural to be hungry. Seto cracked a small smile before leading them to another room, this one with a large table set with food. To their surprise, while plenty of it consisted of things they didn't recognize, there were some modern dishes, such as the flatbread they'd made for dinner just recently.

"Wait, hold on," Yami said as Seto brought out some glass chalices. He poured red, clear liquid into the glasses and Yami shook his head. "Yugi, you're not getting any of that."

"Don't worry, he won't," Ryou reassured him, glaring at Bakura. The thief just raised his hands, shrugging. "More for me," Bakura said.

Yugi peered at the drink, confused. "What is that?" he asked curiously.

"Er…" Ryou said.

"Wine," Seto answered, glancing at the others. "I suppose that the water is fine. Here, it is perfectly clean. Though that is rare in the outside world. Once we leave, he _will_ have to drink this eventually." He stood, holding a cup out to Yugi. "At the very least, it is better to test his tolerance now. Perhaps even build it up."

Yugi hesitated, but he never got a chance to decide. Yami stepped forward, smacking the glass out of Seto's hands. It shattered on the ground, causing Yugi to flinch away from the noise. It sounded like violence.

" _No_ ," Yami practically snarled.

Seto glared at Yami, but only turned away. He sat at the table, seeming content to begin eating rather than argue. One by one, they all sat down, sitting a distance away from each other. Yugi snuck a sip of the wine when Yami wasn't looking, finding the taste to be sweet, crisply running over his tongue.

He enjoyed it, and drank it more frequently, right under Yami's nose. He thought he saw Bakura snicker once, but otherwise he didn't say anything. To his surprise his head remained clear. With how fervently Yami had tried to keep the wine away, Yugi had half-expected it to make him explode. He did get a bit sleepy, at the end, and so reluctantly stopped.

That was when Seto declared that before they left - to where, they still didn't know - he would teach them how to use magic. He refused, and this was what he said verbatim, to be in the company of helpless people who are perfectly capable of not being moronic burdens.

Ryou looked mildly offended at that, but the others chose not to react, too eager to learn some way of protecting themselves.

"But not you," Seto said, turning to Yami. "I will not associate with one who looks like _him_."

Because of course nothing was ever that easy.


	26. Chapter 26

**I'll admit, I forgot about Pegasus. I don't think he'll make his way into this story. I was trying to make Ishizu a** _ **mystical**_ **eccentric, but I guess I failed. Oh well. Doesn't matter in the long run, I guess, right?**

* * *

"You are spellcasters, the two of you," Seto explained, pointing to Ryou and Bakura. "And you are a commander."

After they had insisted, and a lengthy argument where even Ryou learned new swear words - living with Bakura had taught him quite a bit - they learned that Seto had had a grudge against a pharaoh who'd lived ages ago but was a carbon copy of Yami. After reassuring Seto that Yami was in fact _not_ that long-dead pharaoh, they set about learning how to fight with the cards Ishizu had given them.

Somehow, Ryou wasn't surprised to learn Yami was a commander. He watched as Yami summoned a monster, an elfin man wearing green armor. "Celtic Warrior," Yugi cried, looking delighted, but his voice was lost when a blast of light sent a card skidding from Yami's hands. Seto walked over to where it lay and picked it up.

"This is a spell card," he said, raising his eyebrows. "I believe this should be yours?"

Ryou accepted it, though a little reluctantly. Still, when Bakura tried it out, it turned out to be a useful healing spell depicting a woman holding a ball of light. She floated ethereally over their heads until he cancelled the spell. Then Ryou cast a spell that made his vision blur, his head spinning.

"Bakura! Ryou!" he could hear faintly, but all he could focus on was -

\- he was whole -

\- he was empty -

\- where was -

\- until Seto forcibly ended the spell, and Ryou fell to his knees. "Polymerization. It merges living beings," Seto said. "Try to direct your spells, otherwise the results can be fairly drastic." He looked mildly disdainful. Ryou couldn't blame him - in trying the spell carelessly, he'd ended up casting it on himself.

A hand tugged his sleeve. Ryou looked down to see Yugi's face. The child looked worried, and asked, "Are you okay?"

Ryou nodded, not feeling well enough to actually say anything yet. He tried smiling encouragingly, but he was pretty sure it ended up being a grimace. He glanced at Bakura to see the thief on his knees as well, looking nauseated. Yugi tugged his sleeve again.

"I liked knowing the both of you," Yugi said. "Be careful, 'kay?"

"Sure," Ryou replied, touched, but Yugi was already running over to check on Yami. Ryou managed to get to his feet, brushing himself off as he glanced at Bakura again. The thief looked grouchy, but otherwise fine.

Then Yami summoned a small, fluffy monster with big eyes that was downright adorable, and Ryou didn't care what Bakura thought. Of course, then they found out it exploded with a touch, so there went that idea. Seto complained about the burn mark left on the stones and then it all unraveled from there. They ended up moving on to hunting - which they were much worse at, but oddly enough Seto was slightly more patient in teaching that area. Ryou was certain they weren't in the Ancient Egypt he'd read about.

For one thing, they were using crossbows.

Relatively simple, true, just wood and string. He didn't like to think about what animal's guts went into the string, but he was also pretty sure wood was supposed to be a rarity in deserts.

"Where'd you get these?" Bakura asked appreciatively.

"I had time to prepare," Seto replied, lifting Yugi's arm in a demonstration on how to aim. Yugi's first arrow clipped the tail of the illusion Seto had created - a lizard with spikes down it's spine - but the second pinned the stomach. "Of course," Seto pointed out, "It would've been long gone after the first." He set Yugi to practicing and moved on to Bakura.

Ryou tried aiming his as he waited, testing the strength of the string with an arrow, so he nearly shot Ishizu in the face when she materialized behind him.

"Thank you for that," she said drily. "You are the travelers, then."

"Ishizu?" he blurted out, surprised. The others stopped to look, and everyone but Yugi had an expression of irritation. She didn't look fazed, merely nodding. "Yes. I see I sent you back a bit earlier than I had dared to hope, which is lucky for all of us. Where is the little devil?"

Yami narrowed his eyes. "Don't call him that!" he practically spat, stepping in front of Yugi protectively.

"You're not Ishizu," Ryou realized.

She sighed. "Not the one you know. I am Ishizu, and that is all I will tell you." She frowned at Yugi, then glanced at Bakura. "And you, thief, how did you manage to outlive the one who is feared by shadows? Unless - ah, of course she would send you. I wish I knew everything, but I suppose things are clearer in hindsight, no?"

"Hold up," Bakura interrupted. "Bare facts, lady." He lowered the crossbow, his shoulders set. "Tell us where we're going, and why we're going there. And where we are, for starters."

"Why, you are in the tomb of the pharaoh," Ishizu said. She smiled. "Come, we have all night. Why don't we sit?"

So they ended up around the table again, Ishizu at it's head. Ryou noticed that Seto didn't look any happier than the rest of them. He couldn't help wondering who he was, but decided to let it lie. After all, there was no point in stirring up trouble.

"Right now," Ishizu began, "You are all in a dream."

She shrugged. "The Shadow World, or the Shadow Lands as it is known here, is a place on the border between life and death. It is a place where Egypt was taken by a demon. The former pharaoh was betrayed, and now the kingdom - or what is left of it anyway - is ruled by darkness and fear. Monsters roam the lands."

Bakura snorted. "Sounds like a bad storyline for a game," he said derisively.

"It does," Ishizu agreed. "Unluckily for you, it is also our reality. Make no mistake, though you have dreamt yourselves into this place, any injuries you sustain… any deaths… they are very much real."

Yami tensed. "You promised not to let Yugi come to harm," he accused.

Ishizu raised an eyebrow. " _I_ made no such promise," she said.

Ryou could see Yami getting furious, so he cut in, "Hold on, you want us to fight a demon? You're crazy!" He gestured to himself and the others. "I'm a," he coughed, "a thief, and Yugi's just a kid! Heck, Yami just got out of high school! Come on, you can't expect us to fight a demon!"

"Yugi," Ishizu said calmly, "Is not just any child."

" _No_ ," Yami hissed. "He _is_ just a kid, and you will _not_ say another word about him!" He grabbed Yugi, who seemed about to protest, and pulled the child to his chest. "Explain, in detail, what you want us to do. But don't you dare say anything, _anything_ , about Yugi."

The woman seemed to debate something with herself, then gave the tiniest nod. "You all have… talents," she said carefully. "This is fate. I suppose I will let you discover that for yourself. In the meantime, Seto knows where the palace is. That is your destination."

"I have waited one hundred and thirty years for this." Seto's eyes flashed with determination. "None of you are going to back out. Not one. Not even if you die." He smiled mirthlessly. "If you do, there is always your next life."


End file.
